I 

1 




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THE 

i ::; . N T I T Y 

OF THE 

TWO APOCALYPTIC WITNESSES, 

THEIR 

CflAMCTER, DEATH AND RESURRECTION, 

AS CONNECTED WITH TEE 

INTRODUCTION OF THE MILLENNIUM, 

TO WHICH IS ADDED, 

PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 

BY JOHN HBESET, 

BALTIMORE: 
ARMSTRONG & BERRY. 
HIGGINS & PERKINPIXE, PHILADELPHIA. 

1857. 

WOODS* PRINT, BALT. 




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CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introduction/ vii 

I. — The Description of the Apocalyptic Witnesses, 15 

II. — The Identity of the Witnesses, . . .19 

III. -— The Office of the Witnesses— to Prophesy, 23 

IV. — The Condition of the Witnesses Clothed in 

Sackcloth^ 24 

V. — The Time they were to Prophesy, Clothed 

in Sackcloth, 31 

VI. — A further Description of the Witnesses, 33 

VII. — The Power of the Witnesses, ... 38 

VIII. — The War waged against them, and their 

Death, . . . ... 46 

IX. — The Place where the Witnesses were Slain, 58 

X. — The Disgrace and Contempt cast upon the 

Witnesses, . ... . . 66 

XI. — The Joy their Enemies feel, on account of 

their Death, 71 

XII. — Their Enemies Rejoice, because those Wit- 

nesses Tormented those that Dwelt on 

the Earth, 72 

XIII. — The Resurrection of the Witnesses, . 78 

XIV. — The Exaltation of the Witnesses, . . 86 

XV. — Commotions Connected with this Eventful 

Period, . . 88 



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CONTENTS. 



Page. 



XVI. — The Joy expressed in Heaven at the Com- 

mencement of Christ's Millennial Reign. 90 

XVII. — Additional Proof of the Correctness of 

those Views, . . . . 94 

XVIII — Further Evidence of Correctness of the 

Foregoing Theory, .... 105 

XIX. — An Objection Answered, . . . 117 

XX. — Additional Warnings and Admonitions in 

Regard to Coming Events, . . 121 
XXI— Another Objection Met, ... 124 
XXIL — Further Reasons given for the Death and 

Resurrection of the Witnesses, . 133 

XXIII. — Additional Reasons to Convince the In- 

credulous, . . . . . . 145 

XXIV. — A Case of Conscience, or our Motives 

Examined, 156 

XXV. — An Expostulation Addressed to the Church, 165 

XXVI. — A Reasonable Inquiry Answered, . 171 

XXVII. — An Additional Objection Answered, 176 



Christian Purity, 187 



Gold Tried in the Fire, 219 

Christian Privilege, the Gift of God, . . 232 

Christian Warfare, ...... 247 

When the Son of Man Cometh shall he find Faith 

on the Earth, 265 

Learning and Learned Institutions, . . . 278 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS. 



Spiritual Vision, 
Justice, . 



199 
210 



INTRODUCTION. 



The present period of the world's history is 
distinguished by numerous incidents of deep and 
thrilling interest to the inquiring mind. Action, 
effort, zeal, light, increased and increasing light, 
makes our day as one of peculiar and prophetic 
character. The Prophet Daniel seems to have 
had direct reference to the present era of time, 
to the developments of the nineteenth century, 
when, by the authority of Divine inspiration, he 
says, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge 
shall be increased." Dan. xii, 4. 

Light and knowledge is being rapidly in- 
creased and diffused throughout our world ; page 
after page is written, books ar£ multiplied almost 
without number, on all subjects, especially in 
2 



viii 

reference to the prophesies and the Holy Scrip- 
tures. Many wise and learned men have "writ- 
ten largely, and have speculated extensively 
on the deep and hidden mysteries of the apoca- 
lypse, the closing book of God's revealed will to 
man. 

It may, therefore, assume the appearance of 
presumption, if not downright folly, for an hum- 
ble and obscure individual, destitute of lite- 
rary and scientific qualifications, to intrude his 
views and opinions upon an enlightened and in- 
telligent community. We are encouraged, how- 
ever, by the apostle to the Gentiles, who says, 
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of this 
world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen 
the weak things of this world to confound the 
things which are mighty ; and base things of the 
world, and things which are despised, hath God 
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring 
to nought things that are; that no flesh should 
glory in his presence." 1 Cor. i, 27, 28, 29. 

Although the scribes and pharisees, and rul- 
ers of the Jews, rejected and despised our bless- 



ix 



ed Saviour, yet is it said that the common peo- 
ple heard Him gladly. 

If, therefore, only a few of the common peo- 
ple (those possessed of common sense) of the 
present day should hear, and profit by the fol- 
lowing plain remarks, our labor will not be lost. 

We are not ignorant of the fact that the great 
Author of the Bible, in His infinite wisdom, has 
shrouded many parts of the Book of Revelation 
in deep mystery ; and that numerous authors have 
written and expressed many excellent sentiments 
in regard to the real design and meaning of this 
book ; and that others have professed to "un- 
veil" those mysteries, and make them plain to 
the comprehension of every inquirer, yet the 
cloud remains, and will probably continue to 
conceal many of the great events contained 
therein until God himself shall remove the cov- 
ering, or impart more light and wisdom to His 
creature man than He has yet bestowed on any 
of Adam's fallen race — "Until the day when 
the light of the moon shall be as the light of 
the sun, and the light of the sun shall be in- 



X 



creased sevenfold. " Isaiah xxx, 26. Or, it may 
be, that all those mysteries will not be fully 
made known to man until this mortal shall put 
on immortality and we shall know even as also 
we are known. 

We are also aware of the circumstance, that 
learned and pious authors have not only enter- 
tained and expressed a variety of conflicting 
opinions, in regard to the meaning of this Book, 
but some of them, one at least, and not inferior 
to the others in regard to learning and knowl- 
edge, perhaps the most popular author who has 
written on the subject in modern times, has him- 
self expressed different views and sentiments 
respecting the identity of the "two witnesses," 
and as a special mark of the magnanimity and 
greatness of his mind, he has candidly confessed 
his mistake ; thus if oi\ce mistaken, asks the in- 
terested inquirer, may he not be again in error ? 

Our business is not with learned men and their 
theories, however plausible they may be, while 
we do not intend to follow in their footsteps, we 
do not intend to condemn them ; neither shall 



xi 

we refer to the sectional and partial occurrences 
recorded on the page of history, however san- 
guinary, or momentous they may have been, in 
proof of the great events connected with the 
Book of Revelation. 

Grod's word is its own expositor, it is wisely 
designed for all mankind, and addressed to the 
inhabitants of the whole world in all ages of our 
world's history. 

We shall not, therefore, limit the Holy One 
of Israel in the communications He has been 
pleased to make in the Revelation given to His 
servant John, to one or more of the nations of 
the earth, and the limited occurrences which 
have taken place at different times during the 
past eighteen centuries. This Book, like its 
great Author, cannot be limited by sectional 
and partial boundaries, and local occurrences; 
but it gives a condensed, a comprehensive and 
a universal view of all that has, and will trans- 
pire among men throughout the entire period of 
probationary time ; and opens up to the view of 
the purified and intelligent mind, the commence- 
2* 



Xll 



ment of another and infinitely more glorious era, 
or dispensation than our sin disordered world 
has ever yet enjoyed. 

If our views are not rational and scriptural, 
let the reader reject them. God in mercy deals 
with His fallen and sin-enfeebled children wisely 
and kindly ; nor does He require us to believe 
any thing that is unreasonable, though many 
things may be above our comprehension in our 
present state. 

Though the sentiments advanced in the fol- 
lowing pages, may be repulsive to the wishes 
and feelings of our unsanctified nature, and dif- 
ferent from all our preconceived opinions, and 
the strong prejudices of our early education, let 
us not hastily reject them, but calmly and im- 
partially examine the subject, and if truth, and 
reason, and past experience, and God's holy 
word, conspire to confirm those opinions, let us 
not close our eyes to the exhibition of plain truth, 
however unpalatable it may be to our taste, or 
opposed to our wishes and desires. Truth is 
mighty and must prevail. It was the language 



Xlll 



of strong prejudice which once influenced an 
honest man to inquire expressively, in regard to 
the identity of the Messiah, "Can there any 
good thing come out of Nazareth ?" Come and 
see. 



I, 



THE DESCRIPTION OF THE APOCALYPTIC WIT- 
NESSES. 

We shall not presume, nor attempt even to 
discuss the great mysteries contained in the 
Book of Revelation generally, but simply con- 
fine our remarks to the identity, the character, 
and the fate of the two witnesses so prominently 
specified in this part of God's holy word. 

The account given of the two witnesses and 
their mysterious history is found in the eleventh 
chapter of the Book of Revelation, and reads as 
follows: 

"And there was given me a reed like unto a 
rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and 
measure the temple of God, and the altar, and 
them that worship therein. But the court which 
is without the temple, leave out, and measure it 
not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the 
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and 
two months. 3. And I will give power unto my 
two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thou- 



16 



sand two hundred and threescore days, clothed 
in sackcloth. 4. These are the two olive-trees, 
and the two candlesticks standing before the 
God of the earth. 5. And if any man will hurt 
them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and 
devoureth their enemies : and if any man will 
hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 
6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain 
not, in the days of their prophesy: and have 
power over waters to turn them to blood, and to 
smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they 
will. 7. And when they shall have finished their 
testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the 
bottomless pit shall make war against them, and 
shall overcome them, and kill them. 8. And 
their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the 
great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and 
EgyP^ where also our Lord was crucified. 9. 
And they of the people,and kindreds,and tongues, 
and nations, shall see their dead bodies three 
days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead 
bodies to be put in graves. 10. And they that 
dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and 
make merry, and shall send gifts one to another ; 
because these two prophets tormented them that 
dwelt on the earth. 11. And after three days 



17 



and a half the Spirit of life from God entered 
into them, and they stood upon their feet; 
and great fear fell upon them that saw them. 12. 
And they heard a great voice from heaven, say- 
ing unto them, Come up hither. And they as- 
cended up to heaven in a cloud ; and their ene- 
mies beheld them. 13. And the same hour was 
there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of 
the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain 
of men seven thousand : and the remnant were 
affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 
14. The second woe is past; and behold, the third 
woe cometh quickly. 15. And the seventh angel 
sounded ; and there were great voices in heaven, 
saying, The kingdom of this world are become 
the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ ; 
and he shall reign for ever and ever." 

How shall mortal man, he who is but a worm 
of the dust, compassed about with ignorance and 
infirmity, presume to look into the deep things 
of God ! thou Most High— Thou that rulest 
in the heavens above, and in this lower world, 
pardon the presumption of thy servant, and 
grant him thy Holy Spirit to enlighten his mind, 
and to humble and purify his heart, that he may 
understand thy word and faithfully and affec- 



18 



tionately warn a guilty world, and a slumbering 
unconscious church of their danger of the things 
which are coining upon them ! May the trumpet 
not give an uncertain sound, for who then will 
prepare himself for the battle. 



II. 



THE IDENTITY OF THE WITNESSES. 

Proceed we now to identify the character and 
office of the two apocalyptic witnesses. 

Verse 3d. "And I will give power to my two 
witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand 
two hundred and threescore days, clothed in 
sackcloth." 

The law of God requires the testimony of 
two witnesses to render their evidence valid and 
conclusive. Thus in the great work of man's 
salvation, there has been no flaw nor omission ; 
all that should, or could have been done, has 
been done to secure the salvation of the human 
family — all that was necessary and could have 
been done consistent with the character of God, 
and the relation we sustain to Him. 

Inquire we now who are those witnesses, and 
does their life and character correspond with 
the description given of them by the inspired 
writer ? 

First. The first witness we shall name is the 
descendants of Abraham, the Jewish church, or 
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20 



nation. As it regards this witness we notice 
their office and their duty. They are to vro- 
phesy. The Jews stand forth prominently as 
faithful ivitnesses for the truth of the prophesies. 
In their life and character the verity, the truth 
of the Old Testament prophesies, are fully es- 
tablished. Their present condition and past 
history most conclusively proves the numerous 
and wonderful predictions made in the Old and 
New Testaments concerning them. Had their 
former history, and their present circumstances 
have been different from what they have been, 
and what they now are, the verity of the pro- 
phecies would have failed, and God's word would 
have fallen to the ground as untrue. Hence the 
vast importance of this faithful witness, and the 
testimony they are still bearing for the truth of 
Divine revelation. They will, no doubt, con- 
tinue to bear their testimony until the least and 
last prophesy concerning them is perfectly ful- 
filled. As it regards their condition, they were 
to prophesy clothed in sackcloth, viz. in a de- 
graded and sorrowful state ; this doleful condi- 
tion has been met fully and prominently in their 
past and present experience. So that he who 
runs may see and read their identity of charac- 



21 



ter, and their doleful condition. They are now, 
and have been for many centuries literally cloth- 
ed in sackcloth. 

We now proceed to examine, identify and es- 
tablish the character, the office and condition of 
the second witness, viz. the christian church. 

Secondly. The description given of those wit- 
nesses, will be strictly applicable to the chris- 
tian church as we perceive it is to the Jewish 
people. 1st. Their testimony — they are wit- 
nesses. Christ says, "And this gospel of the 
kingdom shall be preached in all the world for 
a witness unto all nations, and then shall the 
end come." Matt, xxiv, 14. Again, "Where- 
fore of those men which have companied with 
us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and 
out among us, beginning from the baptism of 
John, unto the same day that He was taken up 
from us, must one be ordained to be a witness 
with us of His resurrection." Acts i, 21, 22. 
"And he said, the God of our fathers hath chosen 
thee, that thou shouldst know His will, and see 
the Just One, and shouldst hear the voice of His 
mouth. For thou shalt be His witness unto all 
men of what thou hast seen and heard." Acts 
xxii, 14, 15. "For I have appeared unto thee 



22 



for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a 
witness^ both of these things which thou hast 
seen and of those things in which I will appear 
unto thee." Acts xxvi, 16. "But ye shall re- 
ceive power after that the Holy Ghost is come 
upon you ; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, 
both in Jerusalem, and in ail Judea, and in 
Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the 
earth." Acts i, 8. We might multiply texts to 
prove the identity of this witness, but no one 
will doubt the fact. 



III. 



THE OFFICE OF THE WITNESSES— TO PROPHESY. 

There may be, however, those who may ob- 
ject to their office, viz. to prophesy. The term 
is not only applied to those holy men who were 
moved by the Holy Ghost to foretell future 
events, but the appellation is given to those who 
teach others and preach the gospel. Hence St. 
Paul says, "Follow after charity, and desire spir- 
itual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy, for 
he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speak- 
eth not unto men, but unto God ; for no man 
understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he 
speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth, 
speaketh unto men to edification and exhorta- 
tion and comfort. He that speaketh in an un- 
known tongue edifieth himself; but he that pro- 
phesieth, edifieth the church." 1 Cor. xiv, 1, 2, 
8, 4. And verse 31, "For ye may all prophesy 
one by one, that all may learn, and all may be 
comforted." 

We may, therefore, affirm confidently, that 
every minister who teaches others, may be said, 
in an important sense, to prophesy. 
3* 



IV. 



THE CONDITION OF THE WITNESSES CLOTHED IN 
SACKCLOTH. 

It may be doubted whether the condition as- 
eribe'd to those witnesses, will apply to the 
christian ivitness in the day of its great pros- 
perity. Let us therefor examine carefully their 
real character. 

Compared with the standard of the Gospel, 
(love your neighbor as yourself,) and in view of 
what we should be, it must be generally ac- 
knowledged that our condition is a sorrowful 
one. Our faith, alas how weak ! Our love, 
how faint and cold. Christ requires us to love 
Him more than our father, or mother — sister, 
or brother, nay, even more than our wife or 
children; but where can such ardent, pure and 
undefiled love be found? If we candidly ex- 
amine the state of our humility, gratitude, 
and patience, we shall find those graces very 
defective— very far from what they should be. 
Generally speaking, our spiritual strength, as 



25 



well as our christian gifts and graces are far 
7 below the Gospel standard. 

Perhaps there is no state or condition in so- 
ciety more painful and mortifying to intelli- 
gent minds and hearts of sensibility, than fam- 
ily discord. Would it not cause tears of sorrow 
to flow from the pious father's eyes, to know 
that his children were unkind to each other, 
constantly endeavoring to expose each other's 
character, and unwilling to eat together ! Sure" 
ly such a state of things would throw around 
the good father's shoulders a mantle of "sack- 
cloth." And is not discord in all its diversified 
modifications, a characteristic feature of Christ's 
church in the present day ? Nor can we possi- 
bly suppose that our heavenly Father possesses 
less sensibility than fallen man. In many in- 
stances we strive to conceal, or apologise for 
this dark trait of character, by asserting that 
we do not differ materially in the important 
doctrines of the Bible — it is only in non-es- 
sentials that we do not harmonize; yet this 
mantle will not cover the wound, and hide the 
"sackcloth" To say nothing of the bitter en- 
mity which exists between the Roman Catholics 
and the Protestants, how little real union and 



26 



harmony exists between the different Protestant 
denominations! There is discord— there is a 
want of perfect, of pure and undejiled love, 
view the subject in whatever light we may. 

No discordant sound or note can be admitted 
into heaven; nor can old age, or the grave, re- 
move this stain from our garments, which must 
be found without spot or wrinkle, or we must be 
excluded from the presence of God and his holy 
angels forever. This is not an unimportant 
consideration, it may justly be called a "sack- 
cloth" state. 

The law of Christ requires us to love our 
neighbor as ourselves ; but alas how few of us 
reach this pure standard. In the wise and in- 
imitable form or pattern our blessed Saviour 
has given us to regulate our prayers, He directs 
us to pray— That our Heavenly Father's will 
may be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. 
To say nothing of even a majority of the church 
members and ministers, where shall we find an 
individual that reaches that standard— that 
does the will of God on earth as it is done in 
heaven ? Can we point to one such character ? 

If therefore we can find few, very few if any, 
who reach Christ's standard— who do the will 



27 



of God as it is done in heaven, can our gar- 
ments be spotless ? 

If we examine our hearts more closely, we 
may perceive something more like "sackcloth" 
than the blemishes caused by our discordant 
feelings, and our fearful neglect of Grod's holy 
word. The Bible informs us that thy Maker is 
thy husband, that the church is recognized as 
the bride, the Lamb's wife. Let us now sup- 
pose a case that would be more dark and dis- 
graceful than a literal garment of "sackcloth" 

Suppose a moral, good, but a poor man, has a 
wife who is ashamed of her husband, she will 
not walk with him in public, but associates con- 
stantly with the lowest grades of society— is 
seen daily walking arm in arm with a gambling 
drunken man, through the public streets, what 
character would she bear in the estimation of 
a reflecting and respectable community ? We 
can scarcely describe or conceive of a more de- 
based character. Let us now candidly and hon- 
estly apply the picture of that woman to the 
church, and we shall find it a fac simile of her 
character and conduct. 

Thy Maker — thy Saviour is thy husband. 
Behold Him in the deep valley of poverty, bear- 



28 



ing His cross at every step, and with weeping 
eyes, and kindest words of affection, He mildly, 
and expressively invites us to follow Him. And 
yet it must, and will be generally admitted, that 
we are all ashamed of poverty, and will not 
walk in that cold unfashionable path if we can 
avoid it; and even most of us who are really 
poor, feel a desire to hide it from the eyes of 
others, nor is there in the wardrobe of life, 
many articles more degrading than deception. 
Nor do we, generally speaking, like self-denial 
much better than poverty, hence very few r of us 
fast even one day in the week ; yet would we 
rather fast two days in each week, than we would 
look like poor people. Very few of us in the 
present day can measure up to the apostle's 
standard, and yet he fasted often, and urges us 
to follow him, as he followed Christ, but his 
words are treated as an idle tale, while the voice, 
the command of the world falls with imperious 
weight upon our ear. The spirit, the customs, 
the fashions, which constitutes the essence of 
the world, that deadly foe to our peace and hap- 
piness, speaks — commands and we promptly and 
cheerfully obey, however ridiculous the custom 
or fashion the god of this world presents, we 



29 



smile and follow. Thus we walk arm in arm 
with the monster who seduced our first parents, 
and has ruined millions, while we are almost 
deaf to our Saviour's voice, and ashamed of our 
wise, and glorious, and merciful, but cross-bear- 
ing husband, the Holy One of Israel. Thus 
Christ in practice is shunned, and suffered to 
walk almost alone through the valley of poverty 
and suffering, bearing his cross at every step. 
And though he plainly admonishes us that un- 
less we deny ourselves daily and follow Him, 
we cannot be his disciples ; and though he bless- 
es the poor and says, woe unto you that are 
rich, yet are we unwilling to be poor; and dis- 
regard the blessings promised unto them, while 
we greatly prefer to be rich, and risk the anath- 
ema denounced on them. 

The Laodicean church were, in their early 
day as much deceived as the church of the 
present times. They sang a requieum of ease 
and security, saying, we are rich and increased 
with goods and have need of nothing, and knew 
not that they were wretched, and miserable, and 
poor, and blind, and naked. Surely a "sack- 
cloth" state, though they were entirely uncon- 
scious of their real condition. To investigate 



30 



the subject no farther, there is abundant reason 
to believe that the christian ivitness is clothed 
with "sackcloth" 



V. 



THE TIME THEY WERE TO PROPHESY, CLOTHED 
IN SACKCLOTH. 

As it regards the time those witnesses were 
to prophesy, viz. twelve hundred and sixty days, 
we presume they are prophetic days — a year 
for a day, which make 1260 years, we say 
nothing ; many learned and wise men have 
speculated in this field, and have been disap- 
pointed. There is no certain data given by 
which we can arrive at the correct time. There 
is cause to doubt the correctness of our chro- 
nology ; nor can it be very important to the can- 
did inquirer to know the day, or the hour, any 
more than it would be to know the day, or the 
hour of our dissolution. Our duty is to be al- 
ways ready, well prepared, with our lamps trim- 
med and brightly burning, and our garments 
unsoiled, that whether the Bridegroom comes 
at midnight, or any other hour, we may be pre- 
pared to meet Him joyfully, and thus enter tri- 
umphantly into the marriage supper of the 
Lamb. 

4 



32 



Judging, however, by our Saviour's author- 
ized rule, viz. by the budding of the trees, ye 
know that summer is nigh. The important 
period cannot be far distant. The signs of the 
times are indeed ominous ; these all speak 
the solemn language "Behold the Bridegroom 
cometh." May our inmost soul respond, come 
Lord Jesus, and come quickly. 



VI. 



A FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE WITNESSES. 

Verse 4. "These are the two olive trees, and 
the two candlesticks standing before the God 
of the earth." 

The language in this verse is highly figura- 
tive, and whether we consider those trees as af- 
fording oil to heal wounds, or to burn in lamps, 
to give light, those witnesses, represented here 
as olive trees, are strikingly applicable and illus- 
trative. All the healing balm, the oil, the grace 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which flows into our 
diseased world to heal the maladies which sin 
has caused, all descends through those two wit- 
nesses. The Jew is the root of the tree from 
which Christ, the fountain of all good came in- 
to our world, and through the preaching of the 
gospel by the church, by faithful ministers, 
health is fully imparted to our diseased souls. 
If we apply the oil afforded by those figurative 
olive trees for the purpose of giving light, all 
the light that has ever shone upon our dark 
world, deeply shaded by sin, has emanated from, 



34 



or passed through these two sources. The as- 
tonishing glow of light which is now shining 
and enlightening our world, all flows through 
those two witnesses, typified as two olive trees. 

Jesus Christ is indeed the light of the world, 
and by His ministering servants, and the influ- 
ence of the gospel, the light is now being rapidly 
diffused abroad through the whole w T orld. If the 
light of science, and of the arts so wonderfully 
manifested in modern times, has emanated, even 
in part, from the powers of the mind, indepen- 
dent of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, why 
has it not shown in the dark land of Africa, 
and other heathen countries where Christ has 
not been preached or known ? Whatever proud 
and even learned infidels may say to the con- 
trary, yet that great truth will stand out in 
bold relief, and may be read and known of all 
men — Christ is the light of the world. Take 
Christ away, and even the Hottentots would 
sink lower than they now are, though they only 
receive the light as the gloom of our night is 
cheered by an absent — by an unseen sun, re- 
flecting his rays upon other orbs, while the rays 
they borrow from the sun fall softly on our 
earth to render the darkness of night support- 



35 



able. Take the Bible away, and our world 
would be as dark as the regions of despair, 
where the wicked inhabitants grope in outer 
darkness. 

The figure further applied to them, is equally 
applicable— "The two candlesticks." The can- 
dlestick does not give, but holds the light. In 
like manner the Jews hold up Moses and the 
prophets, the Old Testament, and the other, and 
the more important witness holds up to a lost 
world the gospel of the Son of God, the Lord 
Jesus Christ, the mighty God, the everlasting 
Father, the Prince of Peace, the Babe of Beth- 
lehem, as the true light who lighteth every man 
that cometh into the world. "These are the 
two candlesticks standing before the God of the 
earth," to enlighten the pathway of poor be- 
nighted pilgrims on their way from a land of 
sin, and gloom, and death, to a world of light, 
and life, and glory. There shall be no night 
there, for the Lord God and the Lamb, are the 
light of that city. 

Verse 5. "And if any man will hurt them, fire 
proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth 
their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, 
he must in this manner be killed." 
4* 



36 



It is known to every intelligent person, that 
for the last eighteen centuries, nearly the whole 
world has been arrayed in deadly hostility 
against the unfortunate Jews. The greatest 
efforts have been made to exterminate them 
from the earth, and yet they survive, and will 
live until they have finished their testimony, 
until the prophesies are fulfilled. Those who 
have persecuted and hated them, and would 
have driven them from the earth, will, in their 
turn, and in the fulness of time, be put down. 
Though their sins have been very great. They 
rejected their Messiah, and desired a murderer 
to be given them in his place; though they cru- 
cified the Eternal Son of God, their Redeemer, 
the Holy One of Israel, and desired that His 
blood might be on them and their children ; yet 
are they God's covenant people, of whom He 
has said, "Fear thou not, Jacob, my servant, 
saith the Lord, for I am with thee ; for I will 
make a full end of all nations, whither I have 
driven thee ; but I will not make a full end of 
thee, but correct thee in measure ; yet will I not 
leave thee wholly unpunished." Jeremiah xlvi, 
28.^ The mighty God of Jacob has been in 
their midst, as He was in the bush, as a bum- 



3T 



ing fire, yet have they not been consumed; and 
the day will come, when the fire will consume 
and destroy their enemies, for the mouth of the 
Lord hath spoken it. 

The christian witness has also been assailed 
with the most virulent hatred and persecution, 
both by her professed friends, as well as by her 
open enemies; the fire of hatred and persecu- 
tion has raged against the true followers of Jesus 
in almost every period of her existence ; yet 
the malignant assaults of her avowed enemies, 
and also of her professed friends have not pre- 
vailed against her. Her Redeemer, the Holy 
One of Israel, has said, I will give thee a mouth 
and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not 
be able to gainsay nor resist. And no weapon 
formed against thee shall prosper. But the 
end approacheth of all who oppose the righte- 
ous cause of God on earth, the enemies of the 
genuine church, the true followers of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, will be consumed by the breath of 
God's anger, "Fire proceedeth out of their 
mouth and devoureth their enemies." 



VII. 



THE POWER OF THE WITNESSES. 

Verse 6. "These have power to shut heaven, 
that it rain not in the days of their prophesy : 
and' have power over waters to turn them to 
1 blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, 
as often as they will." 

The Jews, the lesser witness, possessed of 
fewer privileges than the christian witness, ex- 
ercised extraordinary power in almost every 
period of their history, even when they were 
held by their enemies in captivity in Babylon, 
and thereby glorified God, and exalted His name 
among the nations of the earth, until their final 
dispersion, after their rejection of the Messiah, 
when they lost their national character. 

Moses turned the waters of Egypt into blood ; 
and Elijah shut up heaven that it rained not by 
the space of three years and six months. Those 
deeds of power and wonder, were not effected 
by their own wisdom or strength, but through 
the instrumentality of faith. A comprehensive 



39 



view, and an honorable list of the effects of faith, 
is presented in the eleventh chapter of the Epis- 
tle to the Hebrews, where, after enumerating 
the wonderful deeds effected through the power 
of faith by a number of Jewish worthies, the 
author of that interesting epistle says, "For the 
time would fail me to tell of Gideon,and of Barak, 
and of Samson, and of Jephtha, of David also, 
and Samuel, and of the prophets ; who through 
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, 
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge 
of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, 
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies 
of the aliens. Women received their dead raised 
to life again ; and others were tortured, not ac- 
cepting deliverance ; that they might obtain a 
better resurrection. And others had trials of 
cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea, moreover, 
of bonds and imprisonments ; they were stoned, 
they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were 
slain with the sword: they wandered about in 
sheep skins, and goat skins ; being destitute, af- 
flicted, tormented, (of whom the world was not 
worthy ;) they wandered in deserts and in moun- 
tains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And 



40 



these all having obtained a good report, through 
faith, received not the promise; God having 
provided some better thing for us, that they 
without us should not be made perfect." It re- 
quired the testimony of the other, and more im- 
portant witness, the christian church— Jesus 
Christ crucified, revealed and preached to the 
world, to establish their claim, and secure to 
them the glories of heaven. 

We are aware of the mortifying fact that 
the important witness, the christian church, has 
not now the power ascribed to the apocalyptic 
witnesses. Though it is said they have the power 
to turn water to blood, and smite the earth with 
all plagues, it is not said they will exercise that 
power. It should be a reflection upon the char- 
acter of the christian church to be deprived of 
this extraordinary power, whereas the lesser 
witness, the Jews, with less light, and fewer 
privileges retained and exercised it for so many 
centuries. This is evidently an additional proof 
that we are clothed with "sackcloth," especially 
in view of the following plain declarations, and 
the great and precious promises made to the 
church of Jesus Christ. "For verily I say unto 
you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, 



41 



ye shall say to this mountain, remove hence to 
yonder place, and it shall remoye ; and nothing 
shall be impossible unto you." Matt, xvii, 20. 
"Jesus answered and said unto them, verily I say 
unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye 
shall not only do this which is done to the fig 
tree, but also, if ye shall say unto this mountain 
be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, 
and it shall be done. And all things whatsoever 
ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." 
Matt, xxi, 21, 22. "Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do, 
shall he do also ; and greater works than these, 
shall he do; because I go unto my Father." 
John xiv, 12. 

In the commission given by Christ to His dis- 
ciples, which is the same we act under, if our 
authority is valid, the power given to this wit- 
ness, to the minister of Christ's church, is fully 
established. "And He said unto them, go ye 
into all the world, and preach my gospel to every 
creature. He that believeth and is baptized, 
shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall 
be damned. And these signs shall follow those 
that believe ; in my name they shall cast out 
devils ; and they shall speak with new tongues. 



42 



They shall take up serpents ; and if they drink 
any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them : they 
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re- 
cover." Mark xvi, 15, 16, 17, 18. Christ's au- 
thority is the only valid commission we can act 
under as gospel ministers, in the present, or any 
other age of the church's history. If we refuse to 
accept, or claim our privileges, or have bartered 
them away for the smiles, or wealth or honors 
of this world, so much the greater will be our 
condemnation when we shall be called to give 
an account of our stewardship. There is a great 
deal of meaning in our Saviour's expression, 
when he says, "Nevertheless when the Son of 
Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth ?" 
Luke xviii, 8. Which clearly implies that/a^A, 
in its legitimate character, in its original, and 
unchangeable powe?*, will not be found on earth. 

If, therefore, unlimited power has been grant- 
ed unto the church, through the exercise of gen- 
uine faith, and no direct nor indirect proof can 
be adduced that the power, the glorious privi- 
lege, has been revoked or taken from the church, 
then indeed may it be said in truth, and unequiv- 
ocally of those witnesses, "They have power to 
smite the earth with all plagues as often as 



43 



they will." Whether the witness exercises this 
power or not, cannot change the case, or annul 
the privileges with which the church — the min- 
isters of the gospel — have been invested by the 
Lord Jesus Christ. If we have indeed bartered 
this pearl of great price, this fine gold of the 
gospel away for naught, the greater will be our 
shame and condemnation. This subject, like 
many others, needs honest investigation, and 
shall be noticed more fully hereafter. 



5 



VIII. 



THE WAR WAGED AGAINST THEM, AND THEIR 
DEATH. 

Verse 7. "And when they shall have finished 
their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of 
the bottomless pit shall make war against them, 
and shall overcome them and kill them." 

When the prophesies are all fulfilled, when 
the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, the 
beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, 
shall make war with them, and overcome them, 
and kill them. This will be an awful, a momen- 
tous period. May all our readers wisely pre- 
pare for those soul-trying scenes. 

We can hazard nothing in saying that the 
beast ascending out of the bottomless pit, is 
the devil. His malice and hatred of the wit- 
nesses cannot be doubted ; and when his chain 
is sufficiently lengthened, he will commence his 
work of destruction. As a prelude to this dread- 
ful drama, he will, no doubt, diffuse widely the 
spirit of infidelity. The events and circum- 



45 



stances which have been transpiring for the last 
half century, has been admirably calculated to 
induce, and diffuse a spirit of infidelity abroad 
in the earth. The divisions and discord which 
has attended the different branches of the church 
for many years must increase the power of the 
beast, and result in ruinous consequences. 
Union and purity is life, and imparts strength ; 
division and discord, is death. Almost every 
branch of the church has been visited, and sun- 
dered by the invisible hand of the beast — the 
demon of discord. Even the mild, peaceable 
Friends, the Quakers, so called, have not es- 
caped this malaria, they have been riven asun- 
der, and fierce contention and strife has arisen 
among them. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church has suffered 
loss and pain from the spirit of confusion and 
discord, and within a few years past has been 
divided into two nearly equal parts; nor has 
the unholy fire ceased to burn within her bosom, 
and agitate her borders. The Presbyterian, the 
Baptist, the Episcopal, and nearly every branch 
of the Protestant church has been visited by 
this unholy demon. 

The different factions and isms that have 
risen up in great numbers, all point to the same 



46 



ruinous result, all directly calculated to engen- 
der and promote a spirit of infidelity, and 
strengthen the beast for his last fatal conflict. 

Mormonism, and mesmerism, and spiritualism 
all belong to the same army, commanded by 
different officers, and battling under different 
colors. Under different guises, he is now mar- 
shaling his hosts for the last conflict between 
light and darkness — for the battle of Armaged- 
don — the great day of God's wrath. May the 
trumpet not give an uncertain sound — may 
we not be ignorant of Satan's devices, but stand 
firmly on the Lord's side, nor permit the beast 
to place his mark either on our forehead, or in 
our hand. 

Our text says, the witnesses shall be slain— 
must be killed. Hence we conclude, that the 
present organization of the churches will be 
overthrown — "killed." This, most of our read- 
ers will not be willing to believe. It is very 
difficult, if not impracticable, to persuade any 
man, or any set of men to believe that which 
they do not wish to believe. 

The Jews in their prosperity were altogether 
unwilling to believe that their nation, and their 
beloved temple, would be abandoned of God, 
and overthrown— that they would be dispersed 



47 



over the whole world, a proverb and a bye-word 
for their enemies, though their own prophets 
had plainly declared that such would be the 
case. 

We, as christians, should act more wisely, by 
carefully examining our position, and our dan- 
ger, and in time confess and forsake our sins, 
that in the general conflict we may be found 
among the Noahs and the Lots, that we may 
stand before the Son of Man and escape those 
things which are coming upon our sin-defiled 
world. 

Let us, therefore, candidly and honestly ex- 
amine the probability, nay the unmistakable 
evidences that an awful overthrow will be the 
certain doom of the ivitnesses- — of the impure — 
the unholy church. We should not shut our 
eyes to truth, nor hide from danger behind the 
mouldering walls of a house daubed with un- 
tempered mortar — then, indeed, great will be 
the fall. 

The first proof we shall furnish in confirma- 
tion of this dreadful conflict, of the death of the 
witnesses, shall be from our blessed Saviour's 
own lips. He says, "A house divided against 
itself cannot stand." Surely no one will pre- 
5* 



48 



tend to deny the fact, that the church is divided, 
the evidence is so glaring that he that runs may 
read, and if Christ's words be true, the church 
in its present condition cannot stand. The 
Lord Jesus says again, "But as the days of Noah 
were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man 
be : for as in the days that were before the flood, 
they were eating, and drinking, marrying and 
givifig in marriage, until the day that Noah en- 
tered into the ark, and knew not until the flood 
came and took them all away, so shall the com- 
ing of the Son of Man be." Matt, xxiv, 37, 38, 
39. Again, "Likewise also as it was in the 
days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they 
bought, they sold, they planted, they builded ; 
but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, 
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and 
destroyed them all ; even thus shall it be when 
the Son of Man is revealed." Luke xvii, 28, 29, 
SO. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and 
in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the 
earth, distress of nations, with perplexity ; the 
sea and the waves roaring ; men's hearts failing 
them for fear, and for looking after those things 
which are coming on the earth ; for the powers 
of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they 



49 



see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power 
and great glory. And when these things begin 
to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your 
heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh. And 
He spake to them a parable, behold the fig tree, 
and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, 
ye see and know of yourselves that summer is 
nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, this gen- 
eration shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled," 
(That people, the Jews, as a separate and dis- 
tinct people, have not yet passed away, nor will 
they, until Christ's kingdom shall be set up on 
earth in universal triumph and glory.) "And 
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your 
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunk- 
enness, and cares of this life, and so that day 
come upon you unawares, for as a snare shall it 
come on all them that dwell on the face of the 
whole earth." Luke xxi, 25 to 35. 

Those solemn and awful scenes cannot refer 
to the final consummation of all things, the day 
of final judgment, as many suppose they do, for 
the plain reason that there is a day promised 
when all shall know the Lord from the least 
unto the greatest, when it will be no longer ne- 
cessary for one to teach another, because all 
shall be holy and happy — a day when the lion 



50 



and the lamb shall lie down together, vrhen 
nothing shall hurt or destroy in all God's holy 
mountain. After this glorious period, it is not 
possible that all shall become corrupt as were 
the antideluvians, and the Sodomites. 

The holy scriptures abound with plain de- 
scriptions of the awful scenes which will precede 
and accompany the death of the zvitnessses. 
We jwill advert to a few more passages which 
point to that momentous period ; as the churches 
will, no doubt, be very unwilling to believe that 
God will cast them off, and overthrow the pres- 
ent constituted state of things. 

"For behold the day cometh that shall burn 
as an oven ; and all the proud, yea, and all that 
do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that 
cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of 
hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor 
branch." Malachi iv, 1. 

Commentators have supposed that this pre- 
diction was fulfilled in the destruction of Jeru- 
salem, and the dispersion of that people among 
their enemies : but this cannot be correct, for 
one plain reason, that all the proud, and all the 
ivicked) were not then destroyed, which the pre- 
diction unequivocally says shall be done. The 



51 



apostle to the gentiles, in his first letter to the 
church at Thessalonica, and, it is presumable in 
reply to an inquiry made by that church in re- 
gard to the time when Christ would establish 
His kingdom on earth in universal triumph and 
glory, says : "But of the times and seasons, 
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, 
for yourselves know perfectly that the day of 
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 
For when they shall say peace and safety, then 
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail 
upon a woman with child, and they shall not 
escape. " 1 Thess. v, 1, 2, 3, 4. And in his sec- 
ond letter to the same church, he says : "And 
to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the 
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His 
mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance 
on them that know not Grod, and that obey not 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall 
be punished with everlasting destruction from 
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of 
His power ; when he shall come to be glorified 
in His saints, and to be admired in all them that 
believe (because our testimony among you was 
believed) in that day." 2 Thess. i, 7, 8, 9, 10. 
The above passage may be considered irrelevant, 



52 



because it said that the Lord Jesus shall inflict 
the fatal blow, and in the account of the death 
of the witnesses, it said the least shall kill them. 
It is well known that the Almighty frequently 
uses the wicked as His sword, thus what they 
do, may, in one important sense, be attributed 
to God. Hence it is said that God moved 
David to number the Israelites. 2 Samuel, xxiv, 
1. And again it is said of the same transac- 
tion, that Satan provoked David to do this deed, 
1 Chron. xxi, 1. 

There are many passages in the Book of Rev- 
elation which point to the awful scenes, or the 
day under consideration ; we shall advert to a 
few of them. "And there followed andther angel, 
saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, 
because she made all nations drink of the wine 
of the wrath of her fornication. And the third 
angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if 
any man worship the beast and his image, and 
receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of 
God, which is poured out without mixture, into 
the cup of His indignation ; and he shall be tor- 
mented with fire and brimstone in the presence 
of the holy angels, and in the presence of the 



53 



Lamb ; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth 
up forever and ever ; and they have no rest day 
nor night who worship the beast and his image, 
and whosoever receive th the mark of his name." 
Rev. xiv, 8, 9, 10, 11. 

The term Babylon applies to the fallen or 
corrupt church, not only to the Roman Catholic 
church, but to every branch of the church bear- 
ing the mark of the beast, viz. sin in its most 
modified and modern forms — either pride, or 
transgression, or the love of the world, or unbe- 
lief. And, alas ! where shall we find, even 
among Protestants, a church or people entirely 
free from all those dark traits — the mark of the 
beast ? * 

how few among the best of us, fear God 
and keep all His commandments always, who 
feel no fear of man — who have the mind and 
spirit of Jesus — no stain or blemish — no con- 
formity to the spirit, the fashions and customs 
of this ungodly world. Wherever any of these 
traits of sin are found, whether openly in our 
foreheads, or concealed in our hand, all such must 
fall. 

That dreadful day is more vividly snd awfully 
described in the same chapter : "And another 



54 



angel came out from the altar, which had power 
over fire ; and he cried with a loud cry to him 
that had the sharp sickle, saying, thrust in thy 
sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine 
of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And 
the angel thrust in his sickle into the]earth, and 
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into 
the great wine press of the wrath of Grod. And 
the wine press was trodden without the city, 
and blood came out of the wine press, even unto 
the horses' bridles, by the space of a thousand 
and six hundred furlongs." Verse 18, 19, 20. 

CHRIST'S COMING. 

The following declaration and exclamation, 
from the mouth of the inspired, the evangelical 
Prophet, is strikingly descriptive of Christ's first 
and second coming, and of the momentous 
scenes which will immediately precede the in- 
troduction and establishment of Christ's trium- 
phant kingdom on earth — the millennial morn, 
when God's will shall be done universally on 
earth, as it is done in heaven. "Who is this 
that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments 
from Bozrah ? This that is glorious in his ap- 
parel, traveling in the greatness of his strength ? 



55 



I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy 
garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat ? 
I have trodden the wine press alone ; and of the 
people there was none with me : for I will tread 
them in mine anger, and trample them in my 
fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon 
my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and 
the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, 
and there was none to help ; and I wondered 
that there was none to uphold ; therefore, mine 
own arm brought salvation unto me, and my 
fury it upheld me. And I will tread down the 
people in mine anger, and make them drunk in 
m y fur y? an( l I will bring down their strength 
to the earth." Isaiah lxiiii, 1-6. 

The above strong and awfully descriptive 
language cannot refer exclusively to Christ's 
first coming — to his incarnation and crucifix- 
ion ; but it refers to and includes His final 
triumph, and points unequivocally to the battle 

of Armageddon, the great day of God's wrath 

to the death and resurrection of the two wit- 
nesses — to the introduction of the glorious 
day of the millennium — when the great work of 
6 



56 



man's redemption will be consummated in tri- 
umphant glory. Our inmost soul should cry 
out, come Lord Jesus, and come quickly. 

The solemn, the thrilling scenes described in 
those numerous and alarming passages of God's 
holy word, doubtless, point to the death of the 
two witnesses. Those events cannot refer to 
the destruction of Jerusalem, because this book 
was written after that period, and those descrip- 
tions are too strong and comprehensive to have 
received their fulfilment in the overthrow of that 
nation : nor can they refer to the final judgment 
day — the consummation of all things beneath 
the sun, for the plain reason that God, who can- 
not lie, has promised that the earth shall be 
renovated, and filled with righteousness, after 
which it is not reasonable to suppose that such 
a universal state of depravity could exist, as 
those passages plainly intimate, shall be found at 
the time adverted to. And to suppose that they 
received their fulfillment in the overthrow of 
one, or more of the nations of the earth, at any 
period since the introduction of the gospel into 
our world is equally absurd. None of those 
scenes meet the magnitude of the case, and they 
have been so numerous and vague, that almost 
every writer on the subject in modern times, 



57 



has given thern different applications, according 
with his own views and opinions. We, there- 
fore, confidently believe, that the death of those 
witnesses is yet to be realized — is still in the 
eventful future, and should make a deep and 
solemn impression upon the heart and mind of 
every member of the church, not only in the 
corrupt Roman Catholic, but also in every 
branch of the Protestant church. We should 
cease to contend and persecute each other. Our 
prejudice should be laid aside, because it is evi- 
dently a mark of the beast, and cannot be ad- 
mittted into heaven. 

Our inquiry should be, are our own garments 
white and clean ? Are our own hearts pure and 
holy ; free from pride or prejudice, or wilful 
transgression, or any other mark of the beast 
even in our hand ? Have we the wedding gar- 
ment on, and are we anxiously and momentarily 
looking for and ardently desiring the approach 
of the Bridegroom ? When the Master comes, 
it will then be too late to correct our errors, or 
secure gospel privileges. It will then be said, 
"He that i3 unjust, let him be unjust still ; and 
he which is filthy, let him be filthy still ; and he 
that is righteous, let him be righteous still ; and 
he that is holy, let him be holy still." 



IX. 



THE PLACE WHERE THE WITNESSES WERE SLAIN. 

Verse 8th. "And their dead bodies shall 
lie in the street of the great city, which spiritu- 
ally is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our 
Lord' was crucified." 

It is presumable and reasonable to suppose 
that their maladies will be of a spiritual nature, 
and their death a spiritual death, which will be 
infinitely more painful and degrading than a 
literal death could be. In death literal the 
struggle is soon oyer, and surviving friends 
soon forget what was at the time an almost in- 
supportable bereavement. But not so a spiritu- 
al death ; the pain — the shame — the stigma re- 
mains an indelible blot upon these unfortunate 
witnesses. 

The place where this awful scene is to be ex- 
hibited, is called, spiritually, Sodom and Egypt, 
where also our Lord was crucified. Our blessed 
Saviour was not crucified literally either in 
Sodom or Egypt, but where they had all the 
abominations of those devoted places. It will 



59 



be prudent and profitable now to examine care- 
fully and candidly this fearful subject, which 
may give us some idea of the extent of the pre- 
dicted malady, and where the tragedy will be 
performed, and also who will be the victims. 
The place specified is, "where our Lord was cru- 
cified" Spiritual sufferings are more painful 
than those of a literal, mental or physical char- 
acter. It will, therefore, be transacted where 
Christ has been spiritually crucified, and all who 
are found guilty of the awful crime, and have 
not repented, will be the sufferers in the dreadful 
scene. 

Let us now inquire honestly how we may 
crucify Christ spiritually. To ascertain this 
momentous fact correctly, we must examine care- 
fully the circumstances connected with the cru- 
cifixion of our Saviour in Judea. Christ says 
himself, "No man taketh my life from me, 
I lay it down of myself ; I have power to lay it 
down, and I have power to take it again." 

All the powers of darkness combined, with all 
the wicked men on earth, could not have taken 
Christ's life — could not have slain Him. It was 
sin that caused His death, and every wilful sin 
we commit, we drive the nails, (spiritually,) 
6* 



60 



afresh into his hands, and the act cries aloud in 
God, the Father's ear, crucify Him, crucify 
Him! Thus we may perceive that the Lord 
Jesus is crucified spiritually, every day and in 
every part of Christendom where the gospel has 
been published, and preached in our christian 
land. 

The heathen world have not been guilty of this 
awful act of cruelty ; they indeed, like the wicked 
Jews, are sinners before God, yet they know 
not what they do ; but with our eyes open, and 
the New Testament in our hands, we wilfully and 
thoughtlessly act our part in crucifying the Son 
of God ! Now this solemn and awful fact, (if 
the book of God was silent on the subject,) 
should admonish us of our danger, and warn us 
of our approaching doom ; that we are drawing 
near to that momentous period of our world's 
history when the witnesses will be slain, when 
the present confused and discordant state of 
things will be overturned and put down. It is 
called in the bible by different names, such as, 
The battle of Armageddon — The great day of 
God's wrath — The Lord's controversy for Zion. 
It will, no doubt, be the last conflict between 
the opposing powers of light and darkness. 



61 



It behooves us, therefore, to look well into our 
own hearts, that we may not be implicated in 
this cruel crime, and fall like the antideluvians, 
and the wicked Sodomites. That we may not 
be numbered with the enemies of Christ, and 
betray Him with a kiss ; this we may do when 
we make a profession of religion, and wish to 
gain the applause of man. That we may not be 
like the traitor who betrayed his Master for a 
few pieces of silver. This we virtually do when 
we love money — when we swerve from the high 
and honorable principles of truth and righteous- 
ness for the sake of gain, or when we have one 
desire in our heart to procure any article for 
less than its real value, or when we are willing 
to take more for an article than it is really 
worth. Every unjust person must fall when the 
witnesses are slain. 

Every child that takes his father's money 
without his permission, is guilty , is unjust. As 
the silver and gold ail belongs to our heavenly 
Father, do we always ask his permission, when 
we use his money, however small the amount ? 
Our souls and our bodies belong to God. He 
says, Son give me thy heart ? If we keep back 
any part of our affections, and place them in 



62 



part upon gold, or silver, or the honors and 
pleasures of this world, we defraud the Divine 
Being, and become desperately unjust. 

In our dealings and transactions with our fel- 
low beings, do we act as justly and as conscien- 
tiously as a friend of ours, who sold an article 
at auction which was bid off for more than its 
real value. In his settlement our friend in- 
formed the purchaser that he had given too 
much for the carriage ; it was made, said he, in 
my own shop, and I know its value, and can 
receive no more for it. God loves a just and 
honorable man, and he shall be safe when the 
world is burned up. 

Our blessed Saviour says, "He that is un- 
just in the least, is unjust also in much." Nor' 
can any shade of injustice, (any more than pride, 
or the love of the world,) be admitted into 
heaven. When a man is convicted of a crime, 
he is from that moment morally dead — dead in 
the estimation of all good and honorable men. 
Thus will it be when the witnesses are slain. 
Their real character will be clearly developed 
and exposed to the eye of every individual in 
the open streets. He will be exposed to dis- 
grace, public ridicule and contempt. The real 



63 



character of the witnesses will be ascertained 
by the application of the measuring reed ad- 
verted to in the 1st and 2d verses of the chap- 
ter which records their character and doom. 
That reed or rod may be called God's holy word, 
with the light of the Holy Spirit shining upon 
every page and every word. ' 

Christ has unequivocally said, "He that 
believeth not shall be damned," and asks the 
important question, "How can ye believe who 
receive honor one of another, and seek not the 
honor that cometh from God only ?" 

And yet many of us, willingly and joyfully 
receive honor of our fellow mortals — we are not 
afraid to be called, Rabbi, Rev., Right Rev., D. 
D., or Professor, &c. 

On the other hand, very few of us are willing, 
as our Divine Master has directed us to take the 
lowest seat when we are bidden to a feast. When 
traveling in the cars, we are not generally willing 
to take the second class car among the poor, 
though our Divine Master was numbered among 
the transgressors, and publicly proclaimed His 
own poverty ; nor was He ashamed to associate 
with the poor of the land. Now the Lord know- 
eth the proud afar off, and they are an abomina- 



64 



tion in His sight. We notice these things that our 
friends, and those who may condescend to read 
these pages, may not be deceived, either in the 
estimation of their own character, nor be igno- 
rant of the true condition and certain prospects 
of the church, the prominent and most import- 
ant witness in the premises. 

This is the more necessary and important as 
the Lord's prophet has said, "the heart is deceit- 
ful above ail things, and desperately wicked, 
who can know it?" And the Lord Jesus has 
said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, 
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; 
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is 
in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, 
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? 
and in thy name have cast out devils ? and in thy 
name have done manv wonderful works. And 
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you : 
depart from me ye that work iniquity." Matt, 
vii, 21, 22, 23. 

Thus from our Lord's own words, many who 
have preached the gospel, and sinners have been 
converted through their instrumentality, will be 
deceived and carry their delusions into the eter- 
nal world. 



65 



Therefore we cannot be too careful in the in- 
vestigation of our own character, in applying 
the measuring reed to our hearts honestly and 
faithfully, that we may measure fully up to 
the gospel standard, and inwardly digest, and 
thoroughly weigh all our thoughts, words and 
actions in the scale of truth and righteousness. 



X. 



THE DISGRACE AND CONTEMPT CAST UPON THE 
WITNESSES. 

Verse 9. "And they of the people, and kin- 
dreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their 
dead' bodies three days and a half, and shall not 
suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves." 

"And they of the people, and kindreds, and 
tongues, and nations." This statement affords 
evidence that these two witnesses were not sim- 
ply two faithful servants of Grod raised up from 
time to time to testify to the truth of the gos- 
pel ; neither can they be the Old and New Tes- 
taments, but the Jews, and the christian church 
scattered abroad throughout the world. The 
people generally, shall see them conquered by 
the beast, and their nakedness exposed to public 
view; nor will they (their enemies) suffer their 
dead bodies to be put in graves, viz. to be con- 
cealed. Could they be hid in their difficulties, 
in their fallen and degraded condition, it would 
be a partial relief, a drop of water to cool their 



6T 



parched tongues ; but even this mercy will be 
denied them ; and literally for the space of three 
days and a half, (three years and a half,) which 
will probably be the duration of their extreme 
sufferings, their death-like condition, when no 
pity will be felt for them nor sympathy expressed 
for their sorrows, "and their dead bodies shall 
not be put in graves." 

The Lord's prophet Jeremiah has pointed to 
this awful period, with the precision and cer- 
tainty of a faithful historian. "For lo I begin 
to bring evil on the city, (Jerusalem,) which is 
called by my name, and should ye be utterly 
unpunished, (ye Gentiles, the christian church,) 
ye shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a 
sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, 
saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore prophesy 
thou against them all these words, and say unto 
them, the Lord shall roar from on high, and 
utter His voice from His holy habitation ; He 
shall mightily roar upon his habitation; He 
shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, 
against all the inhabitants of the earth ; for the 
Lord hath a controversy with the nations ; He 
will plead with all flesh ; He will give them that 
are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. Thus 
7 



68 



saith the Lord of hosts, behold evil shall go 
forth from nation to nation, and a great whirl- 
wind shall be raised up from the coasts of the 
earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that 
day from one end of the earth even unto the 
other end of the earth ; they shall not be lament- 
ed, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be 
as dung upon the ground." Jer. xxv, 29 — 33. 

Language could not be made stronger, nor 
could words more fully specify and confirm the 
awful death of those witnesses. Another prophet 
has also pointed to this momentous event in plain 
unmistakable language, and also to the intimate 
connection that exists between those scenes and 
the introduction of the millennial morning — the 
universal sabbath promised to fallen, restless 
man. "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the 
Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey, 
for my determination is to gather the nations, 
that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon 
them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger ; 
for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of 
my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people 
a pure language, that they may all call upon the 
name of the Lord, to serve Him with one con- 
sent." Zephaniah iii, 8, 9. 



69 



This prophet then addresses himself to the 
Jewish witness, the natural descendants of Abra- 
ham, in the most consoling and triumphant lan- 
guage, "Sing, daughter of Zion, shout, Is- 
rael : be glad and rejoice with all the heart, 
daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken 
away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine ene- 
my; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in 
the midst of thee ; thou shalt not see evil any 
more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusa- 
lem, Fear thou not ; and to Zion, let not thine 
hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the 
midst of thee is mighty ; He will save, He will 
rejoice over thee with joy ; He will rest in his 
love, He will joy over thee with singing. I 
will gather them that are sorrowful for the 
solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the 
reproach of it was a burden. Behold at that 
time I will undo all that afflict thee ; and I will 
save her that halteth, and gather her that was 
driven out ; and I will get them praise and fame 
in every land where they have been put to 
shame. At that time will I bring you again, 
even in the time that I gather you ; for I will 
make you a name and a praise among all people 
of the earth, when I turn back your captivity be- 
fore your eyes, saith the Lord." iii, 14—20, 



70 



From the strong language of scripture, both 
in the Old and New Testaments, it is presumable 
that the triumphs of infidelity will be so com- 
plete over those witnesses for a little season, 
viz. three years and a half, that they will not 
be able even to avoid their enemies' scorn and 
contempt. "They will not suffer their dead 
bodies to be put in graves." 



XI. 



THE JOY THEIR ENEMIES FEEL, ON ACCOUNT OF 
THEIR DEATH. 

Verse 10. "And they that dwell upon the 
earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, 
and shall send gifts one to another ; because 
those two prophets tormented them that dwelt 
on the earth." 

The spirit and feelings, manifested on account 
of their victory in the defeat and death of their 
enemies, those two witnesses, are perfectly nat- 
ural in our fallen world. It is the same feeling 
which influenced the priesthood, and the Cath- 
olic church on the occasion of the massacre of 
the Protestants, in Paris. A scene of horror 
and outrage which should have caused fiends to 
blush and weep ; yet those poor misguided, de- 
ceived, and so called, christians, rejoiced with 
exceeding great joy ; illuminated their city, and 
villages, and caused their rejoicings to be heard 
throughout the kingdom. So will it be when 

infidelity, the beast, triumphs over Christianity. 
7* 



XII. 



THEIR ENEMIES REJOICE, BECAUSE THOSE WIT- 
NESSES TORMENTED THOSE THAT DWELT 
ON THE EARTH. 

"They sent gifts one to another because these 
two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the 
earth." They tormented them by preaching 
the terrors of the law, by threatening the wick- 
ed with the torments of hell, with eternal pun- 
ishment. Notwithstanding these witnesses had 
in a great measure lost the life and power of 
religion, the spirit and purity of the gospel, the 
meek and lowly and self-denying spirit of Je- 
sus Christ, and were clothed in sackcloth, yet 
they proclaimed the general principles of the 
gospel, which condemn sin and vice of every 
kind; this rendered them the objects of the 
implacable hatred and enmity of wicked and 
ungodly men ; their own consciences condemn- 
ed them in view of gospel truth. They were 
not only tormented in this way, but those two 
witnesses harassed and tormented them by an im- 
portunate and incessant application for their 



73 



money; thus they were glad to see them put down, 
and willingly joined in effecting their overthrow. 

That the servants of the Lord Jesus, might 
be less oppressive to their friends and benefac- 
tors, and more independent and honorable in 
their own character, our Divine Master express- 
ly enjoined upon all His followers, a rigid course 
of economy and self-denial, and says, "Except 
ye deny yourselves, and take up your cross 
daily, and follow me, ye cannot be my dis- 
ciples/' But in those last days they had great- 
ly degenerated, and become very much like 
other men, in the indulgence of their passions 
and appetites. Though they were obliged by 
the plain doctrine of the gospel, to declare that 
the love of money is the root of all evil, and 
if any man love the world, the love of the Fath- 
er is not in him, yet their incessant and press- 
ing applications for money, made to their ene- 
mies, gave them an opportunity to urge against 
those witnesses the plea of inconsistency. Mon- 
ey has always had, and ever will have, a direct 
tendency to vitiate the morals, and corrupt the 
pure stream of humble, ardent love, which should 
dwell richly in every christian's heart, regula- 
ting and influencing all the rivulets issuing 
therefrom. 



74 



Manet/ — the love, and imprudent use of it s 
has, no doubt, been the efficient cause of the 
present corrupt state of the Eoman Catholic 
Church ; the shameful stratagems and unjusti- 
fiable means her popes and priests have adopt- 
ed to procure money, aroused and exasperated 
an abused community ; hence the deep and gall- 
ing stab she received from Luther and his friends 
in the reformation. 

We have been plainly and faithfully warned 
by the Lord Jesus Christ, against the love of 
money and its fatal influence upon the soul. 
What is Catholicism but corrupted Christianity; 
and the efficient moving cause of this unholy 
work, has doubtless been the love of money. 

We are men of like passions with others, and 
corrupt Protestanism will be as offensive to God, 
as corrupt Catholicism. The same cause will 
produce the same effect ; and as money has a 
direct tendency to corrupt and harden our hearts, 
and blind our eyes, we should view it always 
with prudent caution, and guard against its ear- 
liest inroads into our hearts. There are none 
so rich and independent as those who have no 
wants. Hence, our beloved Saviour has coun- 
seled us to adopt a strict — a rigid course of self- 



75 



denial, which He has enforced by His own wise 
and honorable example. 

God has mercifully condescended to make 
himself our debtor, and to allay all our fears, 
and strengthen our hearts, He says, "When thy 
father and thy mother cast thee off, I will take 
thee up." And assures us, "That thy bread 
shall be given, and thy water shall be sure." 
Again, our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, 
has assured us, that "All things shall work to- 
gether for good to them that love God." And 
has therefore positively forbidden all anxious 
care about the things of this world — what we 
shall eat, or drink, or wear : so that to indulge 
any of these fears, or any anxiety about these 
needful things, is not only wrong, but inexcu- 
sable in the child of God, because it not only 
leads us to distrust the goodness and mercy of 
God, but it impeaches His veracity also. We 
must guard against enthusiasm, however ; we 
are not to suppose that God will feed and clothe 
us without using the means. The promises of 
God are always connected with reasonable con- 
ditions. Thus while we diligently and ration- 
ally use the means God has placed in our reach, 
and enjoined upon us, our minds should be calm 



76 



as the water's surface unruffled by a breath of 
air. Our duty is plain, both in spiritual and 
temporal things. Therefore we should idle 
away no time, but diligently improve every pass- 
ing moment. No idle conversation, or idle 
habits, are compatible with the purity of the 
christian character, or pleasing in the sight of 
God. Our time and our money, are talents for 
our improvement, and while the christian must 
improve every fleeting precious moment of his 
time, he cannot waste unnecessarily one cent of 
his Divine Master's money. Therefore the 
child of God can purchase nothing designed to 
administer to the indulgence of the eye, or the 
taste, as all that is in the world, the lust of the 
eye, and the lust of the flesh, and the pride of 
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, 
and the world, and the lust thereof pass- 
eth away, but he that doeth the will of God a- 
bideth forever. Thus, when we administer to 
our fallen appetites, we become earthly and sen- 
sual. But when we act in all things, whether 
we eat, or drink, or wear, exclusively to please 
God, promote our health, and with a pure de- 
sire and design to administer, (as far as in us 
lieth,) to the good of our fellow beings, we act 



77 



spiritually and wisely; and if our hearts are 
pure, and the love of God is the impelling prin- 
ciple of all our actions, then, and only then, 
can we claim the great and precious prom- 
ises of God ; then, and only then, can we live 
and take no thought (no anxious care) for the 
morrow. Thus, by living under the guidance 
and influence of the Holy Spirit of God, we 
shall have no inducement to resort to unjustifi- 
able measures to raise money. We should not 
then have to weep over the mortifying specta- 
cle, of children of the Most High God, soliciting 
aid from the children of the devil ! No need 
of fairs and tea parties, and thereby bowing to 
the world to get gain. Were christians to act 
their part faithfully, there would be no need of 
eloquent speeches to influence us to cast our 
money gifts into theXord's treasury ; nor would 
it be necessary to proclaim publicly — that A, 
will be one of ten, to give 50 or 100 dollars each. 
Those devices are seen, and will in time swell 
the stream of indignation, which may greatly 
contribute to the overthrow and death of the 
'witnesses. "They tormented those that dwelt 
on the earth, by circumscribing their pleasures, 
and preaching eternal punishment, and also by 
an incessant application for their money." 



XIII. 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE WITNESSES. 

Verse 11. "And after three days and a half, 
h spirit of life, from God, entered into them, 
and they stood upon their feet ; and great fear 
fell upon those which saw them." 

"Three days and a half," viz. three years and 
a half ; which will probably be the time of 
their extreme suffering, their shame, their spir- 
itual death ; after which they stood upon their 
feet, prepared to march, or to fight the battles 
of the Lord. "And the spirit of life from God 
entered into them." Their spiritual life and 
energies were paralyzed. They had long in- 
dulged in the spirit and customs of an ungodly 
world ; but now the spirit of life from God, 
enters into them. Now, no more conformity 
to the world, no more fear of man shall again tar- 
nish their character, nor dishonor their God. 
They shall be raised gloriously and triumphantly; 
they now bear the perfect and exclusive image 
of God, their Heavenly Father* 



79 



Thus gloriously raised from death, and res- 
tored to life, the life of God now dwells richly 
in them, and they are clothed with the spotless 
garments of salvation, armed with the whole 
armor of righteousness on the right hand, and 
on the left, they will become a terror to their 
enemies. 

"And great fear fell upon those which saw 
them." 

In the early days of Methodism, though her 
ministers were persecuted by the wicked, yet in 
the presence of these men of God, their enemies 
were awed into reverence. If sinners were en- 
gaged in deeds of infamy and vice, and one of 
these holy men made his appearance, the trans- 
gressors felt ashamed, and ceased from their 
deeds of sin and folly. But, alas, is it so 
now ? Why this change ? It is not because 
infidels or sinners have become more pious. Is 
not the change on our part ? We have become 
more assimilated to the world, we have seen 
and feared Goliah, and have been unwilling to 
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ ; we are unwill- 
ing to meet our foes in the plain armor of our 
God; the shepherd's sling and the smooth stone 
of simple, poiverful faith, have been laid aside, 
8 



80 



and we have arrayed ourselves in Saul's armor. 
We have qualified and prepared ourselves with 
learned arguments to meet 'and conquer the 
beast, the spirit of infidelity; but alas, they now 
fear us not ; they know the nature and strength 
of our weapons, and they regard them not. 
Had David have met and fought with Goliah, 
arrayed in Saul's armor, he would have fallen 
an easy prey beneath the iron grasp of his 
mighty foe. But trusting in the strength of the 
omnipotent arm of God, without any visible de- 
fensive armor, and his offensive weapons quite 
contemptible and insignificant in appearance, 
he gained a complete and triumphant victory 
over his mighty, his infidel foe, and the name 
of the God of Hosts, in whom alone he trusted, 
was magnified in the sight of Israel, and the 
Philistean army. 

We now fight the beast— the spirit of infidel- 
ity, with learned, and we think, powerful and 
conclusive arguments, so much so, that our foes 
are well nigh silenced ; no respectable man is 
now willing to be called an infidel; yet their 
enmity and malice remains unchanged, and will 
burst out when a favorable time arrives, in furi- 
ous and overwhelming vengeance on the heads 



81 



of their christian enemies, whom, in their inmost 
hearts they despise. 

To show the superiority of simple, pure, pow- 
erful faith, the legitimate armor for the children 
of God, over Saul's armor, viz. learning and 
philosophy, we will insert an extract from the 
life of Thomas Smith, formerly a member of the 
Philadelphia Conference, a plain, successful 
Methodist preacher, where the following thrill- 
ing incident is related. 

March 25. "Quarterly meeting was held at 
New Mills. The Rev. Thos. Ware presided. 
It began well, progressed well, and ended well. 
On Saturday night, Bro. S. Hutchinson preach- 
ed, and mighty power from on high came 
among the people. I saw a young man sally- 
ing around in the crowd, and coming to the left 
of the pulpit, I made my way to him, and in- 
quired into the state of his mind. He told me 
he was in great distress on account of his sins. 
While conversing with this young man, three 
gentlemen came up and insisted on his going 
away. I asked them if they were his guar- 
dians ? They said, no. I desired them to be 
quiet until I was done talking with him. They 
remarked there was no necessity for talking 



82 



with that young man, on the subject of religion. 
"Perhaps, gentlemen," saidl, "you do not believe 
in the christian religion." They said, "no, we 
do not." I said, "Gentlemen, will you suffer 
us to gather around you, and pray for you, for 
thirty minutes? after which, if there be no 
change in your minds, on the subject of the 
christian religion, I will agree to give it up my- 
self.' 7 They replied, "Well, sir, we will take 
you at your own proposal, you shall pray for 
us for thirty minutes, and we will stand our 
ground until the thirty minutes shall have ex- 
pired, and if any change be wrought in our 
minds, by any supernatural power, we will, as 
honest men, confess it; but if there be no 
change in our minds as to the truth of the 
christian religion, you shall, on your part re- 
nounce it before this congregation. 

My answer was, "Gentlemen, I will most 
solemnly do so. Then, it is a bargain, amen." 
T then called the attention of the congregation 
to this awful contract. Many faces turned pale ; 
others trembled with fear lest I should be a 
ruined man that night forever. I then requested 
the friends to give up the whole block of seats 
next to the pulpit. "Infidelity and Christianity 



83 



are fairly at issue, and may the God of Abra- 
ham, Isaac and Jacob answer by fire." I then 
called on all the official members of the church, 
and all who could pray in faith, to come up to 
the help of the Lord against the mighty. In 
one minute there were scores around us. But 
before we kneeled I delivered them a charge ; 
and that was, "brethren you are not to offer one 
prayer for the conversion of these gentlemen. If 
you. do that prayer will be lost. But send your 
petitions to the throne of grace that God may 
convict them as He did Saul of Tarsus on his 
way to Damascus." This being understood, I 
cried, " Let us pray." At that moment I reckon 
there were twenty watches drawn from the 
pocket to mark the time. If I ever saw a time 
of prayer it was that night. The whole congre- 
gation was one mouth, and one breath. The 
foundations of the house seemed to tremble. I 
held my watch and proclaimed the time. "Five 
minutes of the time are gone ! Ten minutes 
of the time are gone ! Fifteen minutes of the 
time are gone!" and down came a Saul of Tar- 
sus to the floor. And was there not a shout ? 
It was like the tumbling down of the walls of 
Jericho. "Twenty minutes of the time are gone !" 
8* 



84 



and down come the second. the prayer ! and 
how the house did shake ! "Twenty-five minutes 
of the time are gone !" and the third gentleman 
took his seat. After the time allotted for prayer 
had expired, two gentlemen on the floor, and 
the third seated, I requested the congregation 
to be seated, and to be quiet ; for the spirit of 
the prophets is subject to the prophets. I then 
called on those three gentlemen to tell the con- 
gregation whether any change had taken place 
in their minds, and whether they then believed 
in the christian religion. So many of them as 
could stand, arose, and most solemnly declared 
that their minds had changed, and that they 
then believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of 
God. Christianity did at that time triumph 
over infidelity. To God be all the glory ! Amen. 
We consider T. Smith's exercise of faith, on 
that occasion, not inferior to the victory gained 
by David over Goliah. 

It is most certain that if those three infidels 
had have read carefully all the books that have 
ever been written on the subject of infidelity, 
and in proof of the christian religion (the Bible 
excepted) they would not have been as clearly 
convinced of the truth of divine revelation, and 



85 



the power of the gospel, as they were in those 
eventful thirty minutes. A living, powerful faith 
in Jesus Christ, accompanied with the power and 
influence of the Holy Ghost, is the ground work 
of all true and genuine religion. That which 
is not founded on this Rock, viz. Jesus Christ 
revealed to the soul of guilty men through the 
operation of the Holy Ghost, must go down, 
must and will fail in the trying hour. 



XIV. 



THE EXALTATION OF THE WITNESSES. 

Vebse 12. "And they heard a great voice 
from heaven, saying, come up hither, and they 
ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their 
enemies beheld them." 

The restoration of those witnesses to life, will 
be a^ glorious event. God's omnipotent voice 
awakes them into spiritual and powerful exist- 
ence. They will then possess all the elements 
of christian life, viz. power and purity. Their 
sackcloth will fall off, and they shall be clothed 
with rich garments of salvation, and fully armed 
with the armor of righteousness on the right 
hand and on the left. They will no longer confer 
with flesh and blood. They will henceforth make 
no compromise with an ungodly world. Their 
loins will be girt about with the omnipotent girdle 
of truth, unmixed with error or fiction. Their 
breastplate of righteousness will shine so bright 
that their enemies will be awed into silence in 
their presence, and fall before the majesty of 
their appearance, like Dagon before the ark of 
God. Their feet, then shod with the prepara- 
tion of the gospel of peace, they will, at the 
bidding of the great Captain of their salvation, 



87 



march triumphantly in the King's high way of 
holiness, and fight the battles of the Lord with 
universal success. Their shield of faith will 
securely protect them from every assault, and 
ward off all the fiery darts of all their enemies. 
Their heads will be forever and securely pro- 
tected from every assault of their enemies, by 
the impervious helmet of salvation ; and with 
the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, which 
will then, indeed, be quick and powerful, they 
will fight the battles of the Lord triumphantly, 
and with glorious and universal success. Their 
every breath will be prayer; nor will they ever 
again slumber on their post, but with sleepless 
vigilance watch every movement of the enemy, 
both from without and from within. 

"And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud." 
Heaven is a place of holiness — the presence of 
God, and whether it be on earth, or in the eter- 
nal world, it will be heaven where there is no 
sin, and where God's benign presence is mani- 
fested. "And their enemies beheld them." 
The wicked, with eternal shame and confusion, 
will be permitted to behold their new and glo- 
rious character and privileges. The rich man 
saw Lazarus afar off in Abraham's bosom, while 
there was an impassable gulf between them. 



XV. 



COMMOTIONS CONNECTED WITH THIS EVENTFUL 
PERIOD. 

Verse 13. "And the same hour was there a 
great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city 
fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men, 
seven thousand ; and the remnant were affright- 
ed, and gave glory to the God of heaven/' 

Earthquakes are, in the scriptures, indicative 
of commotions and convulsions, which will doubt- 
less, in a peculiar manner, attend the momentous 
events prefigured and specified in the eventful 
history of those witnesses. The term seven 
thousand, may be used a certain for an uncer- 
tain number. Seven is a sacred — a scripture 
number, as the seven angels, the seven churches, 
the seven candlesticks, the week composed of 
seven days, or it may indicate one-seventh part 
of the inhabitants of the earth. The true mean- 
ing of those obscure terms, will be made known 
in due time — in God's own time. Secret things 
belong to God, and those that are revealed, to 
us and our children. 



89 



"The remnant were affrighted, and gave glory 
to the God of heaven." The omnipotent hand of 
God will not only be exerted in an extraordinary 
manner, but men, all mankind, saints and sin- 
ners, believers and infidels, will perceive evi- 
dently the Hand Divine in those wonderful 
scenes, and will be constrained to give the glory 
to God, when they see His wisdom, and His 
power, and His mercy, fully displayed in the 
presence of an astonished universe. Then will 
it be seen, that not only does the kingdom belong 
to Christ, but that the power is His, and His 
shall be the glory also. Heaven and earth shall 
be filled with the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. 



XVI. 



THE JOY EXPRESSED IN HEAVEN AT THE COM- 
MENCEMENT OF CHRIST'S MILLENNIAL REIGrN. 

Verse 15. "And the seventh angel sounded ; 
and' there were great voices in heaven, saying, 
the kingdoms of this world are become the 
kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and 
He shall reign forever and ever." 

At the resurrection of the witnesses — the pu- 
rified church shining forth in the glorious image 
of her Eedeemer the Holy One of Israel, their 
garments washed and made white in the blood 
of the Lamb, will the glorious day of the millen- 
nium commence, when all shall be of one heart 
and of one mind. Then will the lion and the 
lamb lie down together, and nothing shall hurt 
or destroy in all God's holy mountain. Heaven 
and earth will then rejoice together, and the an- 
gelic host shall raise their voice of wonder and 
praise, proclaiming aloud, the kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and 
of his Christ ; and he shall reign forever and 



91 



ever. Then shall the mystery of redemption 
be fully developed to the wondering and ador- 
ing multitude of saints and angels. Then, and 
not until then, will it be fully understood why 
God bore so long with sinful rebels — why the 
Lord Jesus did not assume His great power and 
brine in universal righteousness sooner. Then 
will the wisdom, the mercy and love and power 
of the Saviour of our lost world, the mighty 
God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of 
Peace, be the theme and wonder of adoring and 
worshiping multitudes through an unending 
eternity. 

Connected with the spiritual death of the two 
witnesses, it is presumable the fire of God's an- 
ger will literally consume all the monuments of 
pride and vanity erected by the folly of man, 
and this globe will be purified by fire, and the 
curse of God be forever removed, and the earth 
restored to her primitive, her paradisical beauty 
and glory. Then will the important petition 
expressed in our Lord's prayer, "Thy kingdom 
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done 
in heaven," be fully realized in the universal 
salvation of God's people. There will then ex- 
ist in the human heart, no impure or unholy de- 
9 



92 



sires, or motives, or purposes; all shall be of 
one heart, and of one mind — all shall be essenti- 
ally one, and God our Kedeemer shall be all in all. 

Surely this glorious consummation — this final 
scene of redemption, should be the constant 
theme, and the ardent desire of every heart. 
Our incessant and importunate prayer should 
be, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on 
earth as it is done in heaven.'' It is even now 
the distinguished privilege of every child of God, 
to have Christ's kingdom set up in his heart — 
to have no will of his own, but to do the will of 
God daily and hourly ; such, and such only, can 
be accounted worthy of a place in Christ's glo- 
rious millennial kingdom, for nothing impure or 
unholy can be admitted there ; nor can death 
change our nature, or wash out one stain — no, 
nothing but the blood of Jesus can wash the 
dismal stains of sin away, and qualify our souls 
for an eternal residence with the saints of light. 

The Psalmist in speaking by Divine inspira- 
tion of the period when Christ shall display His 
power in the presence of an astonished world, 
says, "Thy people," (the Jews,) "shall be willing 
in the day of thy poiver, in the beauties of holi- 
ness from the womb of the morning" (the millen- 



93 



nial morn) "thou has the dew of thy youth." 

Jew and Gentile shall then be united, and there 
shall be one fold, and one Shepherd. Xow 
no more divisions among men, nor discordant 
sound heard in heaven or on earth, Amen. 
Come Lord Jesus, and come quickly. The 
kingdom is thine — the power is thine, and thine, 
blessed Saviour, shall be the glory, forever 
and ever. 



XVII. 



ADDITIONAL PROOF OF THE CORRECTNESS OF 
THOSE TIEWS. 

In our fallen sin-disordered state, we gener- 
ally (as did the Jews) love to hear smooth things 
proph'esied. The cup of flattery, though we ap- 
prehend that it contains deadly poison, is more 
palatable and pleasing to our taste than plain 
wholesome truths that wounds our consciences, 
and condemns us before the world. It is pre- 
sumable that the views and sentiments exhibited 
in the preceding remarks, however reasonable, 
and well sustained by scripture they may be, 
will not be favorably received by the church in 
the present day. Ministers will doubtless pre- 
fer their favorite theories. Most of them be- 
lieve that the instrumentalities now in opera- 
tion will in due time effect the great object and 
design of the gospel, and the purpose for which 
Christ came into the world, viz. to destroy the 
works of the devil, and establish a state of uni- 
versal peace, purity and righteousness on earth. 



95 



We will, therefore, assign some further reasons, 
sustained by clear scripture proof, in regard to 
the identity to the apocalyptic witnesses, their 
overthrow, their death, and their resurrection 
and ultimate triumphant victory. 

The present state of the church, and her past 
history renders the idea of her ever reaching 
the elevated position assigned to her in God's 
word by the process now in operation, visionary 
in the extreme, if not impracticable. 

The church in her present condition dishonors 
the Lord Jesus Christ, as her great Head and 
Founder. In the work of creation, Christ's 
signature is order, harmony, and perfection. 
There exists no flaw in creation's frame, except 
where sin has marred her form. No blot found 
upon creation's page. All created nature, all 
things in heaven and upon earth, harmonize, 
and unite in ascribing ivisdom, and power, per- 
fection and mercy to their great Creator ; they 
declare aloud in reason's ear, "the hand that 
formed us is divine" 

Not so the church, discord is legibly written 
on almost every feature of her existence. Nor 
has this dark trait, this suspicious mark, received 
any improvement from age and experience. 
9* 



96 



During the last half century division and dis- 
cord has been on the advance. In the last 
twenty or thirty years, almost all the prominent 
religious sects have been sundered, divided and 
subdivided. Every reflecting and intelligent 
mind must acknowlege that family discord is 
not only painful in its nature, but dishonorable 
and ruinous in its results. This blemish is seen 
by eyery eye, by all our reflecting enemies; 
and they know it is not Christ's signature. 
J ews and infidels prefer this charge against us ; 
and we, to ward off their darts, and hide our 
torn garments, apologise for our nakedness, and 
say, "that in all essential principles we agree, 
we are united ; it is only in small items, in non- 
essentials we disagree. Love is not a non-essen- 
tial principle, it is this Divine element, that con- 
stitutes the quintessence of Christianity. It 
was the existence of this heavenly principle, 
that caused the bitter enemies of Christ's early 
followers, to cry out, "see how these christians 
love!" Love is the golden chain which binds 
all the inhabitants of heaven together ; not one 
jar, or discordant note is heard in all the heav- 
enly world — the family there are all one, indis- 
solubly one, and God is all in all. No jarring 



97 



note or sound is heard among the multitude 
who sing the new song, one sound, one senti- 
ment, one feeling, one motive, one intent ; ten 
thousand thousand are their tongues, but all 
their joys are one. Jesus Christ, the great arch- 
itect and builder of His church, has taught us 
to pray, "thy will be done on earth as it is done 
in heaven." Therefore, as there is no flaw nor 
discordant feeling in heaven, neither should 
there be on earth. The necessity and import- 
ance of perfect harmony or unanimity among 
the saints on earth, the members of God's fami- 
ly, the church, will appear more clearly from 
the relation we bear to God. The Bible says, 
thy Maker is thy Husband, the church in the 
New Testament is called the "Bride, the Lamb's 
wife." In this endearing relation there can be 
no flaw, no suspicion— the love must be perfect. 
"For this cause shall a man leave his father and 
mother, and cleave to his wife, and the twain 
shall be one flesh." Mark x, 7, 8. Hence rea- 
son and revelation, and the divine principles of 
righteousness harmonize in their sentiments, the 
perfect union of the church on earth. 

There exists, it is true, an opinion generally 
among the children of God, that we cannot per- 



98 



fectly harmonize in all things, and this may be 
true as it regards our judgment, while we see in 
part; but the heart, the affections of the heart — 
love, will admit of no discord ; all, all in that 
heavenly and divine element must perfectly 
harmonize ; no flaw, no suspicion, no division. 
Love, like its great original, is a unit, God is 
love. This glorious principle is opposed to all 
evil ; like honesty and dishonesty, like virtue 
and vice, they are antagonistic principles. No 
man can be honest and dishonest at the same 
time. No compromise in those high and essential 
elements of Christianity are admissible. We 
must be on the Lord's side, or we must take part 
with His enemies. 

The most common observer must, if divested 
of prejudice, perceive that the Bride is not pre- 
pared to meet the Bridegroom. Was the Lord 
Jesus to call the church to meet him this hour, 
how few now on earth would meet Him with as 
much joy and delight as an affectionate wife 
would meet her husband who had been absent 
only a few months ! Should not this plain ra- 
tional view of the subject alarm us all, for we 
may be called to meet the Lord Jesus this night, 
the next hour. 

No sober minded rational christian, can sup- 



99 



pose that Christ possesses less sensibility than 
poor fallen man; nor can we rationally believe 
that He views with indifference a slight aliena- 
tion of our affections from him. iso, He rep- 
resents Himself as being a jealous God, and 
with His piercing eye, discerns the inmost 
thoughts and intents of our heart. We some- 
times console ourselves, and strive to quiet our 
consciences by shrouding our hearts with the 
mantle of our numerous infirmities and imper- 
fections, in contrast with the power, wisdom, 
and purity of God; and thus endeavor to per- 
suade ourselves, that the mercy of our blessed 
Saviour, will influence Him to look over errors 
and frailties, — that He will not expect to find 
perfection in such frail, imperfect creatures as 
we are. This is doubtless a correct sentiment 
in regard to our real infirmities, such as our 
knowledge, perception, judgment, memory, &c. 
But the affections of the heart can, and must 
be perfect. The redemption price, paid for that 
precious jewel, has been too great to make any 
compromise or allowance in the premises. The 
blood of Jesus is sufficient to wash out every 
stain, and His grace can support us every mo- 
ment, can keep the wedding garment undefiled, 
without "spot or wrinkle, or any such tiling." 



100 



It is therefore in view of the price paid for 
our soul, and the character of the Author of 
our redemption, and the high and holy connec- 
tion which must exist between the living God, 
and his redeemed subjects, that Christ says un- 
equivocally. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father which is in heaven is perfect." 
Matt. v. 48. The beloved disciple also enforces 
the same sentiment, when he says. '"And every 
man that hath this hope in him. purifeth him- 
self even as He is pure.'' 1 John iii, 8. A 
merciful and good God does not require us to be 
perfect in knowledge, nor in our judgment, nor 
in the exercise of our perceptive faculties, nor 
our memory ; these infirmities will doubtless 
remain with us until this mortal shall put on 
immortality; as even those innocent infirmities 
cannot be admitted into heaven, they will be 
left in the grave, when we are raised in Christ's 
glorious image ; then shall we know even as we 
also are known, then will there be no disparity 
between the bridegroom and the bride. Yet 
does the Lord Jesus reasonably and unequivo- 
cally require us to be perfect, even in this world, 
in love, our affections must be pure. If the 
virtuous wife can, and does love her husband 



101 



perfectly, we can, and must love Grod perfectly. 
The honorable husband would be unwilling to 
share his wife's affections with the best man on 
earth, nor would it afford his wounded heart 
the slightest relief, to hear his wife assure him, 
that she loved him better than his rival. There- 
fore, "if any man love the world,'' {more or less,) 
"the love of the Father is not in him." 

On this important subject the strong language 
of scripture should cause us to fear and tremble 
before the righteous Judge of all the earth. 
The inspired writer says, "Ye adulterers and 
adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of 
the world is enmity with God? Whosoever 
therefore mil he the friend of the world, is the 
enemy of Grod." James iv, 4. 

Alas ! how many of our leaders in Israel, of 
our great men in the Church, will stand con- 
demned when the above declaration is read out 
in the judgment day ! 

Very few of our great and learned men are 
willing to be slighted, or persecuted; they 
would much rather be honored and applauded by 
the rich and influential part of community. Many 
of us forget Christ's omnipotent but plain words, 
and seem to attach no importance to them, when 



102 



He says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate 
you, and when they shall separate you from 
their company, and shall reproach you, and cast 
out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's 
sake. Eejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ; 
for behold your reward is great in heaven. Woe 
unto you, when all men shall speak well of 
you." Luke vi, 22, 28, 26. 

0, where shall we find the spirit, evidently 
required of us as christians, in those passages 
of G-od's word? Again, Christ asks a plain, a 
most important question, "How can ye believe, 
which receive honor, one of another, and seek 
not the honor that cometh from God only?" 

As it regards the spirit and import of this 
plain and comprehensive inquiry, it must be 
conceded that our Quaker friends are in ad- 
vance of nearly every other branch of Christ's 
church. that they were as faithful in the 
observance of all Christ's words and commands, 
and precepts. We shall ail find in the great 
day of eternity, that God's word is quick and 
powerful, and every jot and tittle thereof will 
stand as immutably sure as God himself, and all 
of us who slight or neglect the commands and 
precepts of Jesus Christ, found in the New Tes- 



103 



tament, must be found guilty before God, and 
shut out of heaven. 

After candidly and impartially considering 
the character and condition of the church as it 
now exists, and contrasting it with what it 
should be, as described in God's word, in the New 
Testament, where we are required to be pure in 
heart, and hohj as God is holy, to do God's will 
on earth as it is clone in heaven, to love our 
neighbors (viz. all mankind) as ourselves ; we 
may at least perceive the probability that the 
judgments of God must affect what His mercy 
has failed to accomplish. It is reasonable to 
suppose that the rubbish will have to be burned 
up, before that holy state of gospel purity shall 
exist among men generally, which the word of 
the Lord promises, and God's character demands 
of his church. 

God has power to cast down and to build up, 
to kill and make alive. The kingdom is Christ's, 
and the power is His, and His shall be the glo- 
ry. It is therefore, both reasonable and pre- 
sumable, from scripture authority, to suppose 
that those witnesses clothed in sackcloth will be 
cast down, will be slain, spiritually slain; shall 
be despoiled of all their present power and glo- 
10 



104 



ry, and at the proper time, raised again in pu- 
rity, and power and splendor, clothed no longer 
in sackcloth, hut adorned with the white robes 
of righteousness, unsoiled by the touch of a cor- 
rupt world, and unspotted by one particle of 
prejudice, or pride, or love of the world ; with- 
out one discordant element in the heart, or in 
the entire family. Thus raised again spiritually 
and gloriously into life, they will bear their 
Saviour's image, and dwell together in harmony 
and love. They shall then, indeed, walk with 
Christ, for they are worthy. 



XVIII. 



FURTHER EVIDENCE OF CORRECTNESS OF THE 
FOREGOING THEORY. 

As further evidence of the truth of the fore- 
going views, of the death of those witnesses, we 
will advert to the following impressive and im- 
portant declarations of our blessed Saviour : 
"But as the days of Noah were, so shall the 
coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the 
days that were before the flood, they were eat- 
ing and drinking, marrying and given in marri- 
age, until the day that Noah entered into the 
ark, and knew not, until the flood came, and 
took them all away ; so shall the coming of the 
Son of Man be." Matt, xxiv, 37, 38, 39. 

"Likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot ; 
they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, 
they planted, they builded ; but the same day 
that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and 
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all ; 
even thus shall it be, when the Son of Man is 
revealed." Luke xvii, 28, 29, 30. 

Those declarations are awfully expressive of 
some dreadful event yet in the future, and most 



106 



refer to Christ's second coming, when the wit- 
nesses shall be slain. It is true, that wise and 
learned commentators, have applied those scenes 
described by Christ, to the destruction of Jeru- 
salem ; but this cannot be correct. Dreadful 
as was that event, it will not justify the strong 
and comprehensive language used by our Savi- 
our. When the antideluvians were destroyed 
there' was but one family saved; and when Sod- 
om was consumed, only part of one family es- 
caped the awful deluge of fire. 

Neither can those solemn declarations refer 
to the scenes that shall take place at the final 
consummation of all things, the general judgment 
day, for the plain reason, that there are consol- 
ing and unequivocal promises given to us in 
God's word, that a period shall arrive in the 
history of our world, when righteousness shall 
universally obtain; of that happy day it is said, 
"All shall know the Lord, from the least unto 
the greatest." Here, also, commentators have 
endeavored to allay the fears and damp the 
hopes of the honest inquirer after truth, they 
say that at the specified period, all shall under- 
stand the plan of salvation, or, righteous knowl- 
edge will then be universal, or, that the righteous 



107 



will then govern the world, as the wicked now 
bear rule. 

The prophet, however, is more specific, and 
says, "And they shall teach no more, every 
man his neighbor, and every man his brother, 
saying, know the Lord, for all shall know the 
Lord, from the least of them, unto the greatest 
of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their 
iniquities, and their sins will I remember no 
more." Jer. xxxi, 34. And a still more expres- 
sive description is given by the evangelical proph- 
et, of that happy day, he says, "The wolf and 
the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall 
eat straw with the bullock, and dust shall be the 
serpent's meat. They shall no more hurt or de- 
stroy in all my holy mountain; saith the Lord." 
Isaiah lxv, 25. After that glorious period, when 
all shall be righteous, even the most ferocious an- 
imals shall be tamed, and dwell together in per- 
fect harmony. It is not therefore presumable, 
if possible, that after the universal spread of 
righteousness over the earth, that all should be- 
come again corrupt and be destroyed by the 
breath of God's anger. If that awful event, spe- 
cified by our Saviour, cannot refer to the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, nor to the final judgment day, 
10* 



108 



it must take place at Christ's second coming, to 
establish His kingdom on earth, in glorious tri- 
umph ; when the witnesses clothed in sackcloth 
shall be slain, and after three years and a half, rise 
again in peace and purity. The saints of the 
Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess 
the kingdom for ever and ever." Daniel vii, 18. 
Thus it is said of the risen witnesses, Rev. xi, 
15, 6 , 6 The kingdoms of this world are become 
the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and 
He shall reign for ever and ever. 1 ' 

In adverting to that awfully solemn day, our 
Saviour says, "Nevertheless, when the Son of 
Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth." 
Clearly intimating, that faith in its legitimate 
and jperfect form, will not then be found on 
earth. This, however, cannot be said of the 
period when Jerusalem was destroyed, there 
were still some of the apostles living, and others 
who had not defiled their garments, even in that 
evil day. And surely it cannot refer to any 
period of time subsequent to the universal diffu- 
sion of righteousness and peace, which must be 
realized on earth, before time shall end. But 
that fearful declaration is, in one important 
sense, strictly true of our world at this time, 



109 



notwithstanding the prevailing opinion to the 
contrary. Most certainly we cannot find the 
kind of faith once delivered to the saints ; the 
faith that characterized the Jewish witnesses 
nearly all through the days of their prosperity ; 
that faith which honors God, and Christ says 
shall remove mountains, that faith which has 
been made by Christ himself, the test proof of 
our christian character as his ministering ser- 
vants. The genuine commission given to every 
minister of the gospel, runs thus, "And he said 
unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach 
my gospel to every creature. He that believ- 
eth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that 
believeth not shall be damned. And these signs 
shall follow them that believe ; in my name shall 
they cast out devils ; they shall speak with new 
tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if 
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt 
them ; they shall lay hands upon the sick and they 
shall recover." Mark xvi, 15, 16. The min- 
ister who does not act under this commission, 
had better return home again to his farm, or 
shop, or desk. The authorities of the church 
may and should endorse this commission, to 
prevent imposition and fraud, but the legiti- 



110 



mate authority must come, even to the latest 
generation of men, frcm the great head of the 
church ; from the Lord Jesus Christ. How can 
we rationally account for the fact, that we re- 
ceive our commission to preach the gospel from 
Christ, but refuse his certificate ; we claim the 
authority, but deny the power. For it must be 
conceded that the kind of faith specified in the 
original, the genuine commission, is not only 
not found now on earth, but it is positively re- 
jected. The authorities of the church (of any 
respectable branch of the church) would silence 
or disown the minister who would advocate the 
doctrine of miracle working faith ; or assert 
that Christ's declaration describing the true ev- 
idence of our commission, is binding on us now. 
Yet the very tenor of the commission proves 
that it was to be in force to the end of time, for 
He adds ? "Lo I am ivithyou ahvays, even unto 
the end of the ivorld.'' The men who received 
their authority to preach from the lips of their 
Divine master, could not continue to the end of 
the world ; consequently Christ included in the 
commission, and the test given of its genuineness, 
all His ministers to the close of time, of our pro- 
bationary state. If therefore this plain, legiti- 



Ill 



mate kind of faith is indispensable in the Church 
is plainly and publicly repudiated, surely it can- 
not be found upon earth, even in this day of 
extraordinary light and privilege. 

If, however, we view faith in its most com- 
mon aspect, its lowest grade, in its most feeble 
form, viz. a firm belief in the attributes of God 
as an omnipresent Being ; this sentiment or 
act of faith is indelibly engraven on the mind 
and consciences of every honest infidel, hence 
in many instances when professed infidels have 
been suddenly exposed to imminent danger, 
they have either voluntarily or otherwise, called 
on the name of God for help, for deliverance 
from the jaws of death, which would be an act 
of downright folly, if they did not believe that 
God was present, and heard their prayer. 

In this divine attribute, in the omnipresence 
of God, we all profess to believe— so at least 
we think and speak; but is it really true ? Do 
we fully and consistently believe this simple, 
plain, but important truth ? All of us who say 
or do any thing we would not say or do if the 
Lord Jesus was personally present, do not con- 
sistently and fully believe this undeniable truth ; 
for He (Jesus Christ) is really (spiritually) pre- 



112 



sent, and hears every word we speak. Alas — 
alas, how few there are, even among professing 
christians, that do and say nothing, which they 
would not do and say if the Lord Jesus was 
personally present ! Perhaps a Lot or a Noah 
could now be found on earth. 

Again, we all profess to believe God's word as 
it is revealed in the Bible ; but is it really so ? Do 
we firmly and consistently believe all God's writ- 
ten word ? If I say to my friend, "I believe 
nearly all your statements, one declaration how- 
ever I cannot receive," I dishonor my friend 
and make him a liar. If, therefore, we do not 
consistently, and universally believe all God's 
written word, we dishonor the Lord, and 
fall under that condemnatory sentence, u he 
that believeth not shall be damned." Surely 
we should examine this all important subject 
honestly in the sight of God. Do we fully 
believe that solemn declaration, "but the day 
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; 
in the which the heavens shall pass away 
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt 
with fervent heat ; the earth also, and the works 
that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 
iii, 10. 



113 



Do not many of us read that soul-thrilling 
declaration with great indifference ! We can 
retire to bed unprepared to meet that solemn 
scene, to meet the Righteous Judge of all the 
earth, and yet feel little or no concern about 
the awful event. 

Was our neighbor to inform us that he over- 
heard a number of incendiaries arrange a plan 
to burn down our house one night next week, 
would we, after hearing that declaration, retire 
to bed carelessly, without making a suitable 
preparation to meet that dreadful event ? Not 
so ; we would place a guard around our house, 
and take every precaution in our power to pre- 
vent the destruction of our property, and the 
life of our family ; and we would act thus ration- 
ally, because we believed our neighbor's word. 
But when God speaks and declares that He will 
come as a thief in the night, and may come this 
night, to burn up the world, and yet we repair 
to bed without making a good and sufficient prep- 
aration to meet the awfully important case, 
and feel little or no concern about the matter ! 
Is it not, therefore, most certain that in all such 
cases (and they are innumerable in the church) 
that we do not believe God's word ? We be- 



114 



lieve and honor man when he speaks, but dis- 
believe and dishonor God when He speaks. 
"Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, 
shall He find faith on the earth?" 

The above declaration of Jesus could not refer 
to the destruction of Jerusalem, for the plain 
reason that some of His apostles were then liv- 
ing who had doubtless retained that invaluable 
treasure, the faith once committed to them. Nor 
is it reasonable to suppose that such a gloomy 
state of things will exist at the final close of pro- 
bationary time, when the dead, small and great, 
shall be summoned to appear at the judgment 
seat of Christ, after the glorious period of uni- 
versal righteousness ; hence we conclude that 
the destitution of faith spoken of, and the gen- 
eral prevalence of infidelity plainly intimated in 
the text must refer to the period of Christ's 
second coming to establish His kingdom in truth 
and righteousness on earth, to the period when 
the witness shall be slain, shall be killed, and 
raised again, possessed of the life of God, and 
the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the faith that works 
powerfully by love, and realizes fully all the 
promises of the gospel. 

The following prediction clearly points to the 



115 



death, and also to the resurrection of the wit- 
nesses, to the restoration of the Jews, and the 
introduction of the millennial reign. "There- 
fore wait ye upon me saith the Lord, until the 
day that I rise up to the prey, for my determina- 
tion is to gather the nations, that I may assem- 
ble the kingdoms, to pour out my indignation, 
even all my fierce anger ; for all the earth shall 
be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For 
then will I turn to the people a pure language, 
that they may call upon the name of the Lord, 
to serve Him with one consent," Zephaniah 
iii, 8, 9. 

In the above passage the Lord, by his prophet, 
calls on His people, the Jews, to wait patiently 
under their long and sore trials and sufferings, 
in their sackcloth state, until the cup of the 
Gentiles shall be full— until the period when all 
the prophesies shall be fulfilled, when the fire of 
His righteous anger shall be kindled against 
the gentile world, including the corrupt church, 
then at, or about, that time shall the power and 
glory of the God of Israel be displayed in the 
resurrection of His people, of His church, both 
Jew and Gentile. Then will the mighty angel 
come down from heaven having a chain in his 
11 



116 



hand, and Satan the adversary and deceiver of 
the nations shall be bound. The demon of dis- 
cord will be permitted no more to sow his un- 
hallowed seed among the redeemed of the Lord. 
Then shall there be indeed one fold and one 
shepherd, and nothing shall hurt nor destroy in 
all God's holy mountain. In the renewed and 
purified earth, restored to its paradisical purity 
and glory. Happy, glorious day ; should not 
our unceasing and anxious prayer be, "come 
Lord Jesus, and come quickly, come and claim 
thine own, and sway thy sceptre and reign on 
earth as thou dost in heaven, and dwell in the 
midst of thy saints." 



XIX. 



AN OBJECTION ANSWERED. 



"But will not this view of the subject, have 
a tendency to discourage the ministers of the 
gospel, especially in their missionary opera- 
tions?" By no means. Their duty is to oc- 
cupy until the Master comes — and, as it was in 
Sodom and the antideluvian world, there will 
be a Noah, a Lot, a few who will be found 
righteous before God, who follow the Lamb 
whithersoever He goeth — who have not received 
the mark of the beast either in their forehead 
or their hand, who have not bowed the knee to 
Baal, nor bowed the head to Haman. Who 
have spurned the world from their embrace, 
and have not conformed internally or externally 
to the spirit or customs and maxims of an un- 
godly world, neither in their houses, their fur- 
niture, their apparel, nor in any other way. 
Their eye has been single, and their constant 
motive has been to please God, and bear the 
cross of Jesus Christ. They can consistently, 



118 



and understanding^, and honestly, and cheer- 
fully look the poor suffering widow and her na- 
ked orphans, and say, without fear of contradic- 
tion or shame, "we loved you as we loved our 
oivn souls" We have considered your spiritual 
and temporal welfare, as much as our own. 
These, however numerous or few their number 
may be, shall walk with Christ in white for they 
are worthy. 

And could the servants of God, the ambassa- 
dors of Christ be instrumental in saving one 
such soul, it would be infinitely more important 
than to gain all the wealth of the earth, and all 
the honors of the world, so frequently sought 
after at the risk and sacrifice of their souls. 
All the titles of distinction, such as Rev., X). D., 
Professor A., &c, &c, will be blown away and 
burned up as the chaff of the summer's thrashing 
floor. While one poor, humble, blood-bought, 
and blood- washed soul, though found at the rich 
man's gate begging for crumbs, saved and 
brought home as a sheaf for our Master's gran- 
ary in heaven, to live and reign with Lazarus, 
and that innumerable company who have gone 
up through great tribulation, having washed 
their robes and made them white in the blood 



119 



of the Lamb, will out weigh all our flimsy honor, 
and popularity, and the glory of man, a million 
of times over. Then let us go forth bearing 
precious seed, and in due time we shall return, 
bringing our sheaves with us. 

Let us, therefore, occupy until the Master 
comes, but let us do so faithfully and diligently. 
Let us make no compromise with an ungodly 
world. Let us not confer with flesh and blood. 
Let us measure ourselves by the only true stan- 
dard, by the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be care- 
ful to have His Spirit, who, when He was re- 
viled, reviled not again, and faithfully follow 
His glorious example — imitate constantly and 
faithfully Christ's self-denying and self-sacrific- 
ing life — knowing that those, and those only, 
who suffer with Him shall reign with Him. If 
we be dead with Christ (to the riches, honors, and 
pleasures of the world) we shall also live with 
Him, shall sit down with Him on His throne, as 
He has overcome and has sit down with His 
Father on His throne. Discouraged? No, 
never, until I am debarred from the cross of 
Christ; never, until Christ frowns and the world 
smiles on me, then, and not until then shall my 
soul sink in unholy doubts and fears. 
11* 



120 



While we have great and precious promises 
to cheer and comfort us by the way, we have 
also many solemn and admonitory lessons to be 
cautious, to be always on our guard, and watch- 
ing unto prayer. 



XX. 



ADDITIONAL WARNINGS AND ADMONITIONS IN 
REGARD TO COMING EVENTS. 

Our Divine Master has given us many faith- 
ful and solemn warnings, among others the fol- 
lowing, which should make a deep impression 
on our hearts. After having described some of 
the signs and wonders that should precede and 
accompany His second coming, and the reverses 
and afflictions that should befall the Jews. He 
adds, "and they shall fall by the edge of the 
sword, and shall be led away captive into all 
nations ; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down 
of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles 
be fulfilled." (Until the measure of their iniqui- 
ty is full.) "And there shall be signs in the sun, 
and in the moon, and in the stars ; and upon the 
earth, distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea 
and the waves roaring ; men's hearts failing them 
for fear, and for looking after those things which 
are coming on the earth; for the powers of 
heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they 
see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with 



122 



power and great glory. And when these things 
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up 
your heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh. 
And He spake to them a parable, Behold the 
fig-tree, and all the trees ; when they now shoot 
forth, ye see and know of yourselves that sum- 
mer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when 
you see these things come to pass, know that 
the kingdom of Grod is nigh at hand. Verily I 
say unto you this generation shall not pass away 
till all be fulfilled." [That generation, that 
people has not yet passed away, nor will they 
until these great events shall be fulfilled. This 
itself is an admonitory miracle.] 

"Heaven and earth shall pass away ; but my 
words shall not pass away. And take heed to 
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over- 
charged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and 
cares of this life, and so that day come upon you 
unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all 
them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 
Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye 
may be accounted worthy to escape all these 
things that shall come to pass, and to stand be- 
fore the Son of Man." Luke xxi, 24 to 36. 
To the prudent, reflecting mind, those disclo- 



123 



sures and admonitions, clothed with the authori- 
ty they are, should make a deep and solemn im- 
pression on our hearts, knowing that the period 
specified is just at hand. But learned and wise 
men have lulled their readers into a state of in- 
difference, if not of carnal and ruinous security. 
They have asserted, that all these awful events 
expressed by our Saviour, had direct reference 
to the destruction of Jerusalem ! How strange 
that wise men could themselves believe that 
those things exclusively pointed to the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, when it is expressly said, 
that their favorite city shall be trodden down of 
the Gentiles until the time adverted to. These 
things cannot refer exclusively to the overthrow 
of Jerusalem, neither can they point to any 
period after the entire conversion of the world. 
Those days, nor any other event, can overtake 
them as a snare, for they are all prepared for any 
and every event which the wisdom of God may 
direct or permit to visit our lower world. There- 
fore the time specified must be the period when 
Christ shall come to establish His kingdom uni- 
versally on the earth. 



XXI. 

ANOTHER OBJECTION MET. 

We are generally very unwilling to believe 
any thing, however plausible, which we do not 
wish to believe. We cannot think that the 
present constituted state of things will be over- 
turned. What ! our churches, our missionary, 
and Bible, and tract, and Sabbath school, with 
many other excellent gospel institutions, those 
cast: off and overthrown ! Impossible ! So 
thought the Jews of their beloved temple, the 
most splendid and costly edifice the world has 
ever seen, and their chosen and favored city, 
Jerusalem, surely God will not forsake us. He 
will not cast off His people ! And his own word 
throws around us a cord of perfect security; it 
cannot be ! Yet it was so, and their overthrow 
the most abject and complete- — and though they 
are and have long been clothed in "sack- 
cloth" have drank the cup of sorrow and degra- 
dation to its dregs. They have been for more 
than eighteen centuries, politically and morally 



125 



dead, without a home, a country, a temple, an 
altar to offer their sacrifices on — buried in ob- 
livion and shame, a proverb and a by-word, 
and a hissing among all nations, yet God, the God 
of Abraham, a covenant keeping God, has his mer- 
ciful eye upon them, and the strong, wise arm of 
His divine and overruling providence is thrown 
around them, and when they shall have finish- 
ed their testimony, when all the prophesies are 
fulfilled, they will be raised into life, and beauty, 
and power; those dry bones shall live again, 
and become an exceeding great army, for strong 
is the Lord God of their fathers, and He will 
visit them in due time. 

Let us now examine a few of the reasons the 
Jews had to believe that their God would not 
forsake or cast them off, and we shall find them 
more numerous and powerful, than we have to 
hope or believe, that we, as God's people, His 
church will not be cast off and spiritually slain, 
cast down, forsaken. 

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount 
Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for- 
ever. As the mountains are round about Jeru- 
salem, so the Lord is round about His people, 
from henceforth even forever.' ' Psalms cxxv, 1 ? 



126 



2. "Sing, heavens ; and be joyful, earth ; 
and break forth into singing, mountains ; for 
the Lord hath comforted His people, and will 
have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, 
the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath 
forgotten me. Can a woman forget her suck- 
ing child that she should not have compassion 
on the son of her womb ? Tea, they may for- 
get, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have 
graven thee on the palms of my hands; thy 
walls are continually before me." Isaiah xlix, 
13, 14, 15, 16. 

"Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun 
for light by day, and the ordinances of the moon 
and of the stars for a light by night, which di- 
videth the sea when the waves thereof roar ; the 
Lord of hosts is his name ; if those ordinances 
depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the 
seed of Israel also shall cease from being a na- 
tion before me forever. Thus saith the Lord ; 
if heaven above can be measured, and the foun- 
dations of the earth searched out beneath, I 
will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all 
they have done saith the Lord." Jeremiah xxxi, 
35, 36, 37. "But fear not thou, my servant 
Jacob, and be not dismayed, Israel ; for be- 



127 



hold I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed 
from the land of their captivity; and Jacob 
shall return and be in rest and at ease, and 
none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, 
Jacob my servant, saith the Lord ; for I am 
with thee ; for I will make a full end of all na- 
tions whither I have driven thee ; but I will not 
make a full end of thee, but correct thee in 
measure, yet will I not leave thee wholly un- 
punished." Jeremiah xlvi, 27, 28. 

It is not surprising that the Israelites after 
their return from their Babylonian captivity 
should have been so confident that God would 
never again leave nor forsake them, having re- 
ceived such strong assurances of that fact (at 
least in man's estimation) in the above promises 
and predictions ; yet they have been scattered 
over the face of the whole earth, a proverb and a 
by-word among all nations. God's word is as 
immutable as His own existence, and the decla- 
ration contained in the above promises to the 
Jews, viz. that He will make a full end of all 
nations, should cause us to pause, and fear, and 
not be too confident that we shall not be cast 
off. 

Seeing that there is such a strong propensity 
12 



128 



to look only on the bright side of the picture 
in regard to ourselves, and thereby to deceive 
ourselves, vre will give one more quotation from 
the evangelical prophet, to show what power- 
ful reasons the Jews had to believe firmly that 
their God would never forsake them, at least 
after their first captivity, especially as they 
could have no just idea of their awful fall and 
rejection after the crucifixion of their Redeemer, 
the Holy One of Israel. Fearful and awful as 
was their conduct in crucifying the Son of God, 
we can show by the most just, and plain scrip- 
ture arguments that our conduct under the shin- 
ing rays of the gospel, has been worse, and more 
cruel than theirs. 

"Fear not ; for thou shalt not be ashamed ; 
neither be thou confounded ; for thou shalt not 
be put to shame : for thou shalt forget the shame 
of thy youth, and shalt not remember the re- 
proach of thy widowhood any more. For thy 
Maker is thy husband ; the Lord of hosts is His 
name ; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel : 
The God of the whole earth shall He be called. 
For the Lord hath called thee as a woman for- 
saken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, 
when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a 



129 



small moment have I forsaken thee ; but with 
great mercies will I gather thee. In a little 
wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment ; 
but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy 
on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For 
this is as the waters of Noah unto me : For as I 
have sworn that the waters of Noah should no 
more go over the earth ; so have I sworn that I 
would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee. 
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be 
removed ; but my kindness shall not depart from 
thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be 
removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on 
thee." Isaiah liv, 4 to 10. 

With the solemn and impressive warning ad- 
ministered by the conduct and fate of that pe- 
culiar people, we should fear and tremble in the 
presence of the mighty God of Jacob, and work 
out our own salvation with fear and trembling. 

We should, therefore, give the more earnest 
heed to the things which we have heard, lest at 
any time we should let them slip, for if the word 
spoken by angels was steadfast, and every trans- 
gression and disobedience received a just recom- 
pense of reward, how shall we escape if we 
neglect so great salvation? The angel com- 



130 



manded Lot's wife to escape to the mountain, 
and not look back, she transgressed, she looked 
back, and was promptly turned to a pillar of 
salt, to continue as a solemn warning to all gener- 
ations not to follow her guilty conduct. And 
the Lord Jesus admonishes us to remember Lot's 
wife. Her crime in the estimation of man would 
appear to be very insignificant; yet it was a 
violation of law, of God's word, though spoken 
by angels. She had also a powerful incentive 
to commit the crime — her daughter was in the 
devoted place about to be destroyed — yet when 
God speaks, man or woman must not equivocate, 
or plead inducements, or infirmities as a pallia- 
tion of their offence. At the judgment bar of 
God we shall meet Lot's wife, and then remem- 
ber Christ's injunction. 

Can we possibly imagine that a just and holy 
God would condemn that woman for a slight of- 
fence, and a powerful inducement to impel her to 
its commission, and acquit and receive us into 
heaven though we have disobeyed Christ's plain 
commands and precepts ? Such a supposition is 
neither just nor reasonable. There are some of 
our Saviour's precepts and commands that none 
but the pure in heart can obey fully. None but 



131 



the pure in heart can love God with all their 
heart, strength and mind, and their neighbor as 
themselves ; but all can comply with the follow- 
ing duty, "When thoumakest a dinner or a sup- 
per, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nei- 
ther thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors ; lest 
they also bid thee again, and a recompense be 
made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call 
the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And 
thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recom- 
pense thee ; for thou shalt be recompensed at 
the resurrection of the just." Luke xiv, 12, 13, 
14. 

Yet are there many, very many members of 
the church who are profoundly indifferent about 
the observance of Christ's words in the above 
text, and many other passages written in the 
New Testament. And yet all are confident that 
they will be received into heaven, notwithstand- 
ing they trample the laws and precepts of our 
Divine Redeemer beneath their feet, pay no re- 
gard to them whatever, though the Lord Jesus 
has said, heaven and earth shall pass away but 
not one jot nor tittle of my word shall fall to 
the ground. The Righteous Judge, has also 
cautioned us by saying, Many will come in that 
12* 



132 



day, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, we have 
done many wonderful things in thy name, and 
have cast out devils, sinners have been converted 
under our preaching, let us come in. Then 
will I profess unto them I never knew you, de- 
part ye workers of iniquity into everlasting fire. 
I could not know you as my faithful followers 
and servants, ye were not such, ye have, there- 
fore, deceived your own souls. And the Reve- 
lator says, "By thy sorceries were all nations 
deceived." Yet we think it is impossible that 
God can, or will forsake and overthrow His dis- 
cordant and disobedient church. It is most true 
He will not cast off His faithful followers, those 
who have the Spirit of Christ, who, when He was 
reviled, reviled not again, and with His expiring 
breath prayed for His murderers, who obey all 
His commands and precepts fully. Those will 
be saved as was Noah and Lot. Those have 
nothing to fear from men or devils. 



XXII. 



FURTHER REASONS GIVEN FOR THE DEATH AND 
RESURRECTION OF THE WITNESSES. 

If, however, the witnesses are not to be slain 
at the coming of Christ, what does he mean by 
the following declarations ? f 

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth 
seal, and lo there was a great earthquake ; and 
the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and 
the moon became as blood. And the stars of 
heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree 
casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken 
by a mighty wind. And the heavens departed 
as a scroll when it rolled together ; and every 
mountain and island were moved out of their 
places. And the kings of the earth, and the 
great men, and the rich men, and the chief cap- 
tains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, 
and every free man, hid themselves in the dens 
and in the rocks of the mountains ; and said to 
the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us 
from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, 
and from the wrath of the Lamb ; for the great 



134 



day of His wrath is come ; and who shall be 
able to stand ?" Rev. vi, 12—17. 

Those awful scenes cannot refer to the de- 
struction of Jerusalem, for the plain reason that 
they were written after that period; neither 
can they be applied to a period of universal 
holiness, which God himself has declared, shall 
mark our world's history ; therefore they must 
have direct reference to Christ's second coming, 
to destroy His enemies, and establish his king- 
dom on earth, in universal peace and righteous- 
ness. That glorious day must, and will come, 
nor can it be introduced in any other way than 
that specified in so many parts of the Old and 
New Testaments; Noah's flood and Sodom's 
fate, have been by the Lord Jesus, held up 
as strikingly typical of that great day, called 
"the great day of his wrath." 

There is another awful description given of 
that day, which cannot, for reasons already as- 
signed, be ascribed to the destruction of Jerusa- 
lem, nor can it possibly take place after the in- 
troduction of the millennium, when righteous- 
ness shall fill and cover the whole earth. So 
that those dreadful scenes can take place, only, 
when Christ shall come again to establish His 



135 



kingdom on earth. "And another angel came 
out of the temple which is in heaven, he also 
having a sharp sickle. And another angel 
came out from the altar, which had power over 
fire ; and he cried with a loud voice to him that 
had the sharp sickle, saying, thrust in thy sharp 
sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of 
the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And 
the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and 
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into 
the great winepress of the wrath of God. And 
the winepress was trodden without the city, and 
blood came out of the winepress, even unto the 
horses bridles, by the space of a thousand and 
six-hundred furlongs." Rev. xiv, IT — 20. 

This dreadful description of an event in which 
we are all deeply concerned, should cause our 
ears to tingle and our hearts to quail. In most 
cases, however, it is to be feared that we read 
of th6se solemn and awful scenes with indiffer- 
ence, as though we were not at all interested in 
them ; or if our attention is called to them, we 
conclude they refer exclusively to the Roman 
Catholic Church, or that they will, if ever, take 
place at some far— far distant period of our 
world's history, and thus quiet our conscience. 



1S6 



and rest contented, and thus that day will come 
upon as a thief in the night. The apostle to the 
gentiles, says, when they shall say peace and 
safety, then, sudden destruction will come upon 
them, as travail upon a woman with child, and 
they shall not escape. It is the unholy church, 
the christian witness that is concerned in these 
things ; and that no one need be deceived, we 
have a, clear description of those who shall fall in 
this awful conflict, drawn by the unerring hand 
of Divine inspiration, whether they be Catholics 
or Protestants, or by whatever name they may 
be designated. Let us read, and apply the mark 
to our own hearts, honestly, "And the third 
angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 
if any man worship the beast and his image, 
and receive his mark in his forehead or in his 
hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the 
wrath of God, which is poured out without mix- 
ture, into the cup of his indignation ; and he 
shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in 
the presence of the holy angels, and in the 
presence of the Lamb ; and the smoke of their 
torment ascendeth up, forever and ever ; and 
they have no rest, day nor night, who worship 
the beast and his image, and whosoever re- 



137 



ceiveth the mark of his name." Rev. xiv, 
9, 10, 11. 

The beast is the devil, and sin is his mark ; 
nor can we be deceived in this conclusion ; 
hence, it is morally certain that wherever sin 
or its mark is found, either on the forehead, viz. 
where we wilfully and openly transgress God's 
laws and precepts, or whether the mark be 
found by the scrutinizing eye of Jehovah, to 
exist only in the hand, viz. covered up from 
others and from ourselves in part ; when we are 
unwilling to investigate the true bearing and 
character of every act, especially of every motive, 
perhaps a trait of pride, or love of the world, its 
pleasures, or its applause, &C, the symptom is 
ominous. Surely we should deal honestly with 
our own souls in the presence of a heart-search- 
ing and a reign-trying God, and in view of those 
awful and thrilling scenes, which He has de- 
clared shall be visited on our devoted, our evil 
world. 

The past and present condition of the minor 
w itness — the Jews, their unparalleled sufferings 
and degraded state, which has been borne by 
them so long, should cause us to fear and trem- 
ble before the God of Abraham, of Isaac and 
Jacob. What was their sin? What has called 



138 



down those heavy and almost unmitigated judg- 
ments on their heads ? 

They rejected the Messiah, and crucified the 
Eternal Son of God ; but Christ Himself says 
they done it ignorantly, "They know not what 
they do" Let us now honestly compare and 
contrast their conduct, their sins with ours. 
Do we not crucify our Saviour afresh (spiritu- 
ally) and put him to open shame, all through 
our christian land, and a large and learned, and 
respectable portion of the orthodox church, de- 
clare openly we cannot do otherwise ; neither 
the Jews, nor the power of the Roman empire 
could have crucified the Son of God, in one im- 
portant sense, the Lord Jesus says, no man 
taketh my life, I lay it down of myself ; I have 
power to lay it down, and I have power to take 
it again. It was sin that caused the Saviour's 
death, and every wilful sin w T e commit, we cry 
in reality, crucify him, crucify him ! This is a 
solemn, an awful consideration, especially when 
many of our teachers in Israel declare that we 
cannot live without sin. With this momentous 
view of the subject staring us in the face, and 
in full view of the overthrow and sufferings of 
the Jews, shall we fold our arms in unhallowed 



139 

security, and cry, the temple of the Lord, the 
temple of the Lord are we ! Shall we point to 
our societies, Missionary, and Bible, and Sab- 
bath School and Tract, &c, and vainly suppose 
that God cannot dispense with those instrumen- 
talities, he cannot, he will not cast us of, though 
discord darkens almost every future and form 
of the church. Notwithstanding the mark of 
the beast is perceptible in our hand generally, 
and frequently in our forehead, while we cruci- 
fy the Son of God afresh, daily, and put him to 
open shame ! The apostle to the Gentiles, in 
addressing the church, (and such only as will be 
owned of Christ in the day of eternity as His 
Church,) says, "Ye are dead, and your life is 
hid with Christ in God." Although this is the 
real character of christians— they are dead. 
Alas, how few in any branch of the church can 
claim this distinguishing and honorable trait of 
character. To realize this state, we must be dead 
to the world, say wealth, just as willing to be 
poor as to be rich, as willing to suffer as to en- 
joy, otherwise we cannot be dead, in the proper 
scripture gospel sense of the term. Dead to the 
opinion of the world, as willing to be despised 
and hissed at as to be applauded. This truly 
13 



140 



elevated state is fully recognized by our Sa- 
viour's words, when he says, "Blessed are ye 
when men shall hate you, and when they shall 
separate you from their company, and shall re- 
proach you, and cast out your name as evil, for 
the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day 
and leap for joy; for behold your reward is 
great in heaven." Luke vi, 22, 23. How many 
can we now find in any branch of the church, 
who really bear this mark ? Alas, how few ! 
Where shall we find them ? 

We generally put a patch upon our torn gar- 
ments by saying, if they were to treat us in this 
manner for Christ's sake. If we are truly 
Christ's servants, God's children, they must do 
it for Christ's sake, unless we serve two masters, 
which no man can do without shame and con- 
demnation. how few of us honor our Divine 
Master who has done so much for us, by doing 
and saying, all we do and say to please the 
Lord Jesus! Yet if we are not governed by 
this reasonable rule, we are vainly striving to 
serve two masters. These remarks are made to 
show our friends that the church is not what 
she should be, not what she must be. Hence, 
our present position is not permanent, is not 



141 



safe. Nothing but that which is pure can stand 
the fire of God's anger. And if the fountain 
is pure, the streams issuing therefrom will of 
necessity be pure also ; Christ says, a good tree 
cannot bear corrupt fruit, nor can a corrupt tree 
bear good fruit ; that the tree is known by its 
fruit. "Doth a fountain send forth at the same 
place, sweet water and bitter? Can the fig 
tree, my brethren, bear olive berries ? Either 
a vine, figs? So can no fountain yield both salt 
water and fresh." James iii, 11, 12. Hence it 
is not only a gospel truth, but a philosophical 
principle, established by the divine law which 
regulates all things on earth and in heaven. 
Therefore if the heart is pure, (and without ho- 
liness no man shall see the Lord,) our thoughts 
and words and actions will be pure; our desires 
and motives must be pure also. If our motives 
are impure, it argues a desperately depraved 
heart. Whether, therefore, we speak or act, 
whether we eat, or drink, or wear, in all things 
our motives should be to please (rod. Enoch 
had the testimony that he pleased God, not on- 
ly in some, but in all things. If therefore the 
church in the present day is tarnished with dis- 
cordant sentiments, and scarcely one member 



142 



composing the church can be found without spot 
or wrinkle of some kind, few, very few, can 
stand before God unblamable and unrebukeable 
in his sight. Is the idea absurd, to suppose a 
pure and Holy God will cast her off? That 
Christ will spew the lukewarm church out of 
His mouth ? and bring in a purer, better state 
of things in the church on earth. God prom- 
ised ,to conduct the Israelites from Egypt, to a 
land flowing with milk and honey, and although 
there were more than six hundred thousand 
men who received that promise, yet only two 
out of all that number, entered into the prom- 
ised land. Hence the apostle to the Gentiles ad- 
monishes the church in these significant words, 
"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left 
us of entering into His rest, any of you 
should seem to come short of it" Heb. iv, 1. 
We should fear with a prudent, precautionary 
fear, at every step we take; fear lest we should 
err from the straight and narrow path marked 
out for our pursuit, by the Saviour's tears, and 
sweat, and blood. Wear lest we should at any 
time grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and cause 
Him to depart from us. Fear lest we should 
transgress the pure and holy law of God, and 



143 



be found guilty before Him. "For whosoever 
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one 
point, he is guilty of all." James ii, 10. The 
man that steals one cent, has no honesty left in 
his character, he is altogether a rogue. 

Thus in view of God's holy character, His 
hatred of sin, and the delinquent state of the 
church, and more especially when we reflect on 
the dealings of God with His chosen people, 
both before and since the incarnation of the 
Eternal Son of God, we should tremble for our 
fate. Should fly to the fountain for sin and 
pollution, to the blood of the Lamb, nor ever 
rest until every stain of sin is washed away, and 
then ivatch and pray always with strong faith 
in Christ, that our garments may be kept pure 
and undefiled. "We should strive to enter into 
the ark of safety with Noah, not now a wooden 
ark, but into Christ's arms of redeeming and 
purifying love ; then, and then only, shall we be 
safe. With Lot we should leave Sodom — the 
spirit, and customs, and fashions of an ungodly 
world, and escape to the mountain of Jesus' dy- 
ing love ; nor like Lot's wife, ever look back. 
When the witnesses are slain, the pure in heart, 
the spotless children of God will be safe, and 
13* 



144 



saved from the fire of God's anger which shall 
consume all who are found bearing the mark of 
the beast, viz. sin in its most refined shade, in 
its most imposing and deceptious garb. 



XXIII. 



ADDITIONAL REASONS TO CONVINCE THE IN- 
CREDULOUS. 

To those who are still incredulous, unwilling 
to believe that any evil will befal the church, 
although they cling to it with as much tenacity 
and as much delusive obstinacy as the Catholics 
cling to Peter, as the rock against which the 
gates of hell shall not prevail, we would ask 
what is the real, the rational meaning of our 
Saviour's words, when he says, in regard to one 
of the witnesses, the Jews, "And they shall fall 
by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away 
captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be 
trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of 
the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke xxi, 24. There 
are two particulars embraced in this declara- 
tion, first, the fulness of the Gentiles, and sec- 
ondly, the restoration or the resurrection of those 
Jewish dry bones. In regard to the first, viz. 
the fulness of the Gentiles, many suppose it 
means their entire conversion, when they shall 



be converted to God. and filled with the fulness 
of God. shall shine forth in the image of God 5 
and influenced by the meek and lowly spirit of 
Christ. But, judging from the past and the 
present discordant and imperfect state of the 
church, (when we use this word, we must in- 
clude the Catholic church as well as the Prot- 
estant — Christ is not divided.) what rational hope 
is there to influence the expectations of the 
most credulous, that a time will ever arrive 
when the entire church will perfectly harmonize 
and honor her great head by dwelling together 
as one family of God upon earth. Of such an 

history, effected by the instrumentalities now in 



ter of the church, must despond, there is no 
ptospect, there is no hope. Hence, we argue 
that the fulness of the Gentiles, must mean the 
period when the cup of their iniquity is full. 
That state described by the angel, -when he com- 
manded the angel having a sharp sickle in his 
hand, to thrust in his sickle, and reap, for the 
harvest of the earth is ripe; the Gentiles have 
had their day, and have filled up the full meas- 
ure of their iniquity, that period specified in 
the following awful declarations : 



147 



"After these things I saw another angel come 
down from heaven, having great power ; and the 
earth was lighted with his glory. And he cried 
mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon, 
(viz. the corrupt church, Catholic and Protes- 
tant,) the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become 
the habitation of devils, and the hold of every 
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hate- 
ful bird. For all nations have drunk of the 
wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the 
kincrs of the earth have committed fornication 
with her, and the merchants of the earth are 
waxed rich through the abundance of her deli- 
cacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, 
saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be 
not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive 
not of her plagues. For her sins have reached 
unto heaven, and God hath remembered her in- 
iquities. Reward her even as she rewarded 
you, and double unto her double according to 
her works ; in the cup which she hath filled, fill 
to her double. How much she hath glorified 
herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment 
and sorrow give her : For she saith in her heart 
I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see 
no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come 



148 



in one day, death and mourning, and famine; 
and she shall be utterly burned with fire ; for 
strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And 
the kings of the earth, who have committed for- 
nication and lived deliciously with her, shall be- 
wail her, and lament for her, when they shall 
see the smoke of her burning. Standing afar 
off for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, 
that^ great city Babylon, that mighty city! for 
in one hour is thy judgment come. And the 
merchants of the earth, shall weep over her; 
for no man buyeth their merchandise any more. 
The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious 
stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, 
and silk, and scarlet, and all thyne wood, and 
all manner of vessels of ivory, and all manner 
of vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, 
and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and odors, 
and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and 
oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and 
sheep, and horses, and chariots and slaves, and 
souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted 
after are departed from thee, and all things 
which were dainty and goodly, are departed 
from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at 
all. The merchants of these things which were 



149 



made rich by her, shall stand afar off, for fear 
of her torment, weeping and wailing, and say- 
ing, Alas, alas ! that great city, that was clothed 
in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked 
with gold, and precious stones, and pearls ! For 
in one hour so great riches is come to naught. 
And every ship-master, and all the* company in 
ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, 
stood afar off, and cried when they saw the 
smoke of her burning, saying, what city is like 
unto this great city ! And they cast dust on their 
heads, and cried weeping and wailing, saying, 
Alas, alas ! that great city, wherein were made 
rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of 
her costliness ! for in one hour is she made des- 
olate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye 
holy apostles and prophets ; for God hath 
avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took 
up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into 
the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that 
great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall 
be found no more at ail. And the voice of 
harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trum- 
peters, shall be heard no more at all in thee ; 
and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, 
shall be found any more in thee ; and the sound 



150 



of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in 
thee ; and the light of a candle shall shine no 
more at all in thee ; and the voice of the Bride- 
groom and of the Bride, shall be heard no more in 
thee : for thy merchants were the great men of 
the earth ; for by thy sorceries were all nations 
deceived. And in her was found the blood of 
the prophets, and of the saints, and of all that 
were slain upon the earth." Rev. xviii, entire, 

The characters described, and the scenes ex- 
hibited in this chapter cannot refer to the peo- 
ple of the world, but to the church, clothed in 
sackcloth, first to the Catholic, and secondly to 
the Protestant Church, as far as she is impli- 
cated, nor can the dreadful scenes refer to the 
destruction of Jerusalem, as this book was writ- 
ten after that awful scene. Nor can they be 
applied to any period after the introduction of 
the millennium, after all shall become righteous, 
such a supposition is neither reasonable nor pos- 
sible ; hence the whole scene, the awful drama, 
and the actors therein, must be realized at the 
second coming of Christ — at the commencement 
of the millennial reign of Christ on earth, when 
the witnesses shall be slain. 

Were we to dissect and analyze the picture 



151 



given in this chapter, we should find a striking 
likeness to the churches of the present day. 
We Protestants nearly all believe that the pic- 
ture of the Catholic branch cannot be painted in 
colors too dark for truth. 

Let us, therefore, compare some of the traits 
given and features exhibited in this apocalyptic 
picture, with the character of the Protestant 
branch, as corrupt protestantism will be as offen- 
sive in the sight of God, as corrupt Catholicism. 
It is said that the kings of the earth have com- 
mitted fornication with her. This charge points 
unequivocally to the church as one of the guilty 
party. Let us inquire what will constitute this 
crime under the laws and regulations of the gos- 
pel. The words of gospel inspiration are, "Ye 
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that 
the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? 
Whosoever, therefore, will be the friend of the 
world, is the enemy of God." James iv, 4. 
Therefore a desire to gain the friendship and 
the esteem of the world, viz. of the wealthy, the 
learned and the rulers of the world, will deter- 
mine our character in the sight of God as spir- 
itual adulterers. Nay further, to desire the 
riches, or honors, or pleasures of the world, 
14 



152 



proves that our hearts are placed, in part at 
least, on those things ; consequently we cannot 
love God, our legitimate husband, with all our 
heart, and all our strength, and all our mind ; 
we become double minded, and in the eye of a 
pure and holy God, spiritual adulterers. If our 
readers should think that these views are ultra, 
that we run to extremes, that we raise the stand- 
ard too high, let us bring the thing home 
honestly to our own hearts, our own most re- 
fined feelings. Let the honorable husband learn 
from good authority, that his wife does not love 
him perfectly, but has placed her affections in 
part only, on another man, and will he say, 
"this is reasonable, it is natural, it is a small 
matter." Not so, though his wife may solemnly 
protest that she loves him better than his rival, 
it will only aggravate the crime, and completely 
destroy the good man's peace, and render his 
life a burden, will make him a miserable man. 
This is both a reasonable and a righteous princi- 
ple when applied to man ; and is it either reason- 
able, or righteous, to say or think that the eter- 
nal, the glorious God, who has condescended to 
say (of the church) thy Maker is thy Husband, 
that because of the greatness, and purity, and 



153 



goodness of His character, will not notice these 
things, will permit His Bride to place her affec- 
tions (even in part) on gold, or silver, or houses, 
or farms, or earthly ornaments; or even on fame, 
and learning, and the corrupt breath of popular 
applause ? It is neither reasonable nor righte- 
ous to think this of God, neither will he be 
mocked, but in due time, in the great day of 
His wrath, those acts of fornication will be ex- 
posed and punished with everlasting banishment 
from the presence of God, and the glory of His 
power, when He shall come to be admired by 
all His saints, and to place His legitimate and 
purified Bride on His own throne of dignity, and 
power, and great glory. 

Then will not the spiritual adulterers, and 
those who cried croaker, croaker, ultra, fanat- 
icism, on earth, rise in their dignity, and say with 
triumphant assurance, now you see that God 
was not that rigid, and unreasonable Being you 
represented him to be. You now see that we 
shine in glory and honor, without one tinge of 
shame on our cheek, though we did indulge in 
the good things of earth, though with the digni- 
taries of the world we lived deliciously, though 
we did love to be called Rabbi, Rabbi, and because 



154 



of our talent and learning we claimed the high- 
est seats in the synagogue, and were called Rev. 
and D. D., our learned and distinguished friend, 
&c. 

Beloved readers, in that great day, the scene 
will be changed, and the humble, holt/, self-de- 
nying faithful followers of Jesus will with Him 
be honored and exalted to wear a crown of eter- 
nal glory ; while those who loved the world in 
any of its refined modifications, though they 
may come saying, "Lord, Lord, have we not 
prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have 
cast out devils ? and in thy name have done 
many wonderful works ? And then will I pro- 
fess unto them, I never knew you : depart from 
me, ye that work iniquity." Matt, vii, 22, 23. 
They were deceived and carried their delusion 
to the gate of heaven, and there plead their own 
good works, their mixed service, and all was 
done too in Christ's name. They had preached, 
and sinners had been converted — thus they had 
cast out devils in Christ's name, and yet will 
He declare, on that momentous occasion, "I 
never knew you," I never knew you as my hum- 
ble, holy, cross-bearing followers, ye were not 
such — and now you must depart from my pre- 
sence and the glory of my power forever. 



155 



Seeing, therefore, that many have been de- 
ceived, and many will be deceived and ruined 
for ever, should we not carefully examine our 
hearts, our conduct, our desires, and our motives 
in all our actions through life ? Our eye must 
be single, our heart must be pure, and then will 
all the rivulets issuing therefrom be pure also. 
Self, the old Adam, must be crucified, and Christ 
must be all. All must proceed from Christ, 
and all must return to the Lord Jesus. Christ 
in us the hope of glory — and with the apostle 
to the Gentiles, we should say honestly and un- 
derstandingly, "For to me to live is Christ, and 
to die is gain." Phil, i, 21. We should be able 
to say, for to me to live is Christ, to do Christ's 
will, to have an eye single to His honor and 
glory in all things— therefore we live not to 
gratify self, or to accumulate wealth, or to se- 
cure the favor or applause of men — Christ is, 
and must be, our Alpha and our Omega. All 
must begin and end in Christ, not in name, but 
in truth and righteousness. 



14* 



f 



XXIV. 

A CASE OF CONSCIENCE, OR OUR MOTIVES EX- 
AMINED. 

Let us now examine for a moment a point of 
infinite importance, because it is the most dan- 
gerous. 

In pursuing our literary studies, in gaining 
earthly knowledge, is our eye single ? is our 
motive pure ? is our object and desire honestly 
to please Christ, and save souls ? Self left out 
of sight — while Christ's glory and the salvation 
of souls is purely our object and desire! Are 
we studying in these fields of science very hard 
to qualify us the better to preach the gospel to 
the poo?* ? to whom in an especial manner we 
are sent ? Though the rich, and great, and 
wise ones of the world may be saved, yet their 
number will be few, and their case is almost 
hopeless. Thus, while Christ says, the poor 
have the gospel preached unto them, and it is as 
hard for a rich man to enter into heaven as for 
a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. 



157 



And the apostle to the Gentiles, that wise Mas- 
ter builder marks out our duty, and says, "For 
you see your calling, brethern, how that not 
many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty ', 
not many noble are called : but God hath chosen 
the foolish things of this world to confound the 
wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of 
the world to confound the things which are 
mighty." 1 Cor. i, 26, 27. If, therefore, our 
motives, as ministers of Christ, in the pursuit of 
literary knowledge is not to qualify us to preach 
the gospel as Christ and His apostles have di- 
rected us, our motive may possibly be sinister, 
self-interest, our own character, as ministers, 
the applause of others, &c. The same honor- 
able gospel rule should be observed in all things, 
in all we do, and say. Not self, but Christ, not 
ease or wealth or fame, but souls— blood-bought 
immortal souls. 

Is the cross a prominent point in all our 
studies ? While we are ardently pursuing the 
path of literature, is the cross kept in view — 
can we say this will be a cross to us, but we will 
bear it for Christ's sake. The great men will 
mock and despise us but we will endure it all. 

If I am anxious to shine in the literary cir- 



158 



cle, to be honored and applauded of men, and 
thus gain the "friendship" of the world. I array 
myself as an enemy against God, and thus be- 
come a spiritual adulterer. The rock is to be 
found in the ocean, in every part of it, through 
which we all have to sail, self-ease, honor, 
money, property, equipage, dress, furniture, 
these are all arrayed on the side of the world to 
draw us away from Christ. Through the ocean 
of life those dangerous rocks are scattered, and 
frequently they lie so deep that the eye without 
spiritual anointing cannot see them, and ere we 
are aware of our position we find our little bark 
on some one of those sunken broken craggs 
emanating from the original quarry— the love of 
the world— self-love, the friendship of the world, 
which will finally wreck our souls in the gulf 
of spiritual adultery, while we call God our 
Father, and ourselves the Bride, the Lamb's 
wife. It is said in the above description of 
character, "the kings of the earth have commit- 
ted fornication, and lived deliciously with her.'' 
It is now quite common to have political charac- 
ters of the highest order, to deliver speeches 
and addresses at our popular meetings to raise 
money. We have been pained and mortified to 



159 



see the lawyer, and the statesman, without any 
pretensions to piety, (whose moral characters 
would not bear the light of close examination,) 
in our churches, houses dedicated to, and set 
apart for the worship of the living God, deliv- 
ering popular lectures to influence the wander- 
ing audience to give their money to do the work 
of God ! The character and ability of these 
wicked men who have no real fear of God be- 
fore their eyes, is sounded aloud by the church 
previous to the meeting, and after their service 
and speeches are closed, their performances are 
published, and lauded and flattered in the most 
disgusting strains ! Thus the kings, the rulers 
of this world, and the church meet together in 
fraternal affection, and are guilty of spiritual 
fornication ; notwithstanding the awful declara- 
tion of God, that whosoever was found with the 
mark of the beast on his forehead, or in his hand, 
shall drink of the wine of God's wrath which 
shall be poured without mixture on them for 
ever. And yet we cry peace, peace, while sud- 
den destruction is coming upon us. Our Saviour 
says, "If the blind lead the blind both shall fall 
into the ditch." may we hearken to the ad- 
monitory voice of God before it shall be forever 



160 



too late — calling, "Awake thou that sleepest 
and arise from the dead, and Christ will give 
thee light." Come out of her my people. Be ye 
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers ; 
for what fellowship hath righteousness with un- 
righteousness ? and what communion hath light 
with darkness ? and what concord hath Christ 
with Belial ? or what part hath he that believeth 
with an infidel? And what agreement hath the 
temple of God with idols ? For ye are the tem- 
ple of the living God ; as God hath said, I will 
dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be 
their God, and they shall be my people. Where- 
fore, come out from among them, and be ye sep- 
arate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Fa- 
ther unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having, 
therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us 
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh 
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of 
God" 2 Cor. vi, 14 to 18, and vii, 1. " 

There is an old and true adage, that birds of 
a feather will flock together. A plain, but close 
observer of human nature says, show me your 
company, and I will tell you your character. 



161 



Not only do we invite and bring into the Lord's 
house worldly minded and unholy statesmen and 
lawyers, but our ministers are in turn invited 
to open their political meetings and public exhi- 
bitions, and even balls and parties, with prayer, 
to sweeten and sanction their unhallowed doings 
by the semblance of religion. 

May it not, therefore, be said, even of the 
Protestant church, that the kings or rulers of 
the earth have committed fornication with her. 
And of a large majority of us, the cutting lan- 
guage of inspiration is strictly applicable — - 
"Ye adulterers and adultresses know ye not that 
the friendship of the world is enmity with God, 
and whosoever will be the friend of the world is 
the enemy of God." The Lord Jesus speaks 
in plain, strong, unmistakeable language, and 
says, "Except ye deny yourselves, and take up 
your cross, and follow me daily, ye cannot be 
my disciples" 

Yet most of us pay no attention to the forego- 
ing thrilling declaration, we are not willing to 
fast even one day in a week, though Paul informs 
us that he was oft in fasting. Thus, to an alarm- 
ing extent, we disregard the injunctions and 
example of our Divine Master, and His disci- 



162 



pies ; but the moment the world speaks, almost 
every ear is attent, and every knee is seen to 
bow at the shrine of that flimsy, fickle goddess, 
fashion. Let her order a change in our cos- 
tume, coat or vest, bonnet or dress, and obedi- 
ence or conformity is not only promptly seen, 
but universally practiced. It is a crime of no 
ordinary magnitude to obey the greatest men on 
earth more than God, but to disregard God and 
yield implicit obedience to the dictates of the 
most degraded portion of an ungodly world, pre- 
sents a spectacle too dark and mortifying for 
serious contemplation. And do we really sup- 
pose that the Divine eye is blind to those scenes, 
or that He has so far changed his character as 
to behold sin, at least with allowance ? or do we 
really believe that His word is a nullity ? That 
word that is quick and powerful, and sharper 
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the 
dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, of joints 
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts 
and intents of the heart. That word can no 
more change or fall to the ground than God 
himself can cease to be; nor can God's great 
mercy annul His most rigid justice. No, justice 
must stand forever. Could man have been re- 



163 



deemed without meeting the full and perfect 
demand of justice, without the payment of the 
whole amount of the penalty incurred by the 
violation of God's law, it is more than presum- 
able that Christ would not have died to meet in 
guilty man's stead, the stern and immutable de- 
mand of Divine Justice. Hence, our Saviour's 
prayer in view of that awful scene, "0 my Fa- 
ther, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." 
If, therefore, the Eternal Son of God suffered 
death to meet the demand of Divine Justice, 
that God's word should not be impaired in the 
slightest degree, is it not perfectly reasonable, 
that man, as far as it is in his power through 
the grace imparted by our Lord Jesus Christ, 
should keep the law of God ? Does not justice 
demand it ? Jesus not only died to meet the 
infinite demand of the law, to magnify, and make 
it honorable, but to enable us (all mankind) to 
fear God, and keep all His commandments al- 
ways. 

If, therefore, we neglect this great salvation, 
how shall we escape ? The soul that sinneth, it 
shall die. Sin is the transgression of the law. 
Therefore we should give the more earnest heed 
to the things which we have heard, lest at any 
15 



164 



time we should let them slip ; for if the word 
spoken by angels was steadfast, and every trans- 
gression and disobedience received a just recom- 
pense of reward, how shall we escape if we ne- 
glect so great salvation ? Though we are not 
saved by the works of the law, yet through the 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we may, we can 
and must keep all the commandments and re- 
quirements of God's law. Hence the beloved 
disciple says, "Hereby we do know that we know 
Him, if we keep His commandments. He that 
saith, I know him and keepeth not his command- 
ments, is a liar and the truth is not in him." 1 
John ii, 3, 4. 



XXV. 



AN EXPOSTULATION ADDRESSED TO THE CHURCH. 

In view, therefore, of the purity of God's 
character and rigid demands of divine justice, 
and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ freely 
offered to poor fallen man, to enable him to obey 
the gospel of the Son of God, and to keep all 
His commandments, is it unreasonable or unjust 
or cruel, that delinquents should be cut off? 
When the Lord Jesus comes again to restore 
the kingdom to Israel, to establish His kingdom 
of truth, and righteousness and love, upon earth, 
it will be said — "He that is unjust, let him be 
unjust still." It will be too late to correct er- 
rors, and secure slighted mercies. Our blessed 
Saviour has plainly informed us, that at that 
momentous period it will be as it was in the days 
of Noah, when the antideluvians were overthrown, 
and when wicked Sodom was destroyed. Then 
will the delinquent witnesses be slain. The 
awful scenes and circumstances that will be ex- 
hibited at that time, have been described and 



166 



adverted to in God's holy book from Genesis to 
Revelation ; if therefore we are found without 
the wedding garment, unprepared, we must 
perish, and our blood will be upon our own 
heads. 

Few there are, we are well convinced, that 
will be willing to believe that the present state 
of the church will be overturned. The Catholics 
cling to the rock, and feel assured that the 
gates of hell shall never prevail against them, 
notwithstanding the multitudes who are recog- 
nized as legitimate members of the church, and 
are guilty of almost every crime to be found in 
the catalogue of sin and iniquity. They belong 
to the original church, are placed upon the rock 
and must be safe, hence their priests will give the 
worst of them, at the close of life, (if they 
have not been guilty of the unpardonable sin of 
heresy,) a passport to secure a safe passage into 
purgatory, and then, if their living friends have 
money, in due time they will be prayed out of 
that nondescript abode, safe into heaven. We 
Protestants, however, can give those poor de- 
ceived mortals up for lost, without hope or 
mercy; but not so with our church, we have 
protested against the corruptions of that fallen 



16T 



church, and we must be saved. Our doctrine 
and usages are all orthodox, our instrumental- 
ities, our numerous and most excellent societies, 
amply supported by the liberality of the friends 
of genuine religion, so much money raised, and 
so many missionaries, and agents and colporters? 
&c. in the field, so many tracts and papers pub- 
lishing every month, and annually, the great 
success of our party — to suppose that God 
will cast them off and overturn those blessed 
institutions ! It is impossible, we cannot believe 
it. And besides all these things, witness the 
testimony of thousands upon thousands who do 
assure us that God has not only pardoned their 
sins, but that he has purified their hearts ; and 
besides those living witnesses, multitudes die, 
bearing a decided testimony that they are going 
to heaven ; and yet your views would unchris- 
tianize nearly the entire church, and invalidate 
their dying testimony. To all these things we 
reply, that our business is not to condemn any 
human being, (the law of God does that,) but 
to be co-workers with Christ in saving the world, 
by pointing sinners and formal professors to the 
Lord Jesus Christ as their atoning sacrifice, and 
to His spirit and example for their pattern, and 
15* 



168 



all His words, His law of perfect love as the 
rule, and only infallible rule, both for their faith 
and practice. Christ teaches us to pray (nor 
could He ever lead us into error) that God's 
will may be done on earth, as it is done in 
heaven. This elevated state must be practica- 
ble, or that petition will lead us into error. 
Though we are not qualified, and are forbidden 
to judge our brother, yet may we safely adopt 
and 'use the rule given to us by the Master, 
"By their fruits ye shall know them." Judging 
by this rule, how many can we find in any 
branch of the church, who do the will of God 
as it is done in heaven ? Are there any ? Alas, 
how few the number, hardly exceeding the No- 
ahs and the Lots. And yet we presume to 
assert that God will not cast us olf, His own 
declaration to the contrary notwithstanding ! 
We do not wish it to be so, therefore we will 
not believe it. Thus the Omnipotent Saviour 
of our sin-disordered world, must continue ever 
to be dishonored by our imperfect service, and 
sinful imperfections. 

Let us by the same gospel rule, try another 
standard. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
thyself" 



169 



How many now in the pale of the church, 
can meet the heathen who lived and died with- 
out the bible, when we were living at our ease, 
clothed in purple and fine linen and faring 
sumptuously (compared with thousands) every 
day, and say, honestly, we loved your souls, as 
our own souls ; we have done all we could to 
enlighten your minds and save your souls? 
How many of us who are called respectable 
christians, and compassed about with the com- 
forts of life, can meet the poor suffering widow 
and her hungry orphans, and say confidently 
and honestly, I loved you as myself? The 
number would not very far exceed the Noahs 
and the Lots ; and yet we think it dreadful, 
even fanaticism to suppose that God will cast 
us off, though He destroyed the antideluvians, 
and the Sodomites, while their light and priv- 
ileges were not one-hundredth part as great as 
ours ! 

Let us profit by the admonitory precaution 
administered to the Gentile or christian church. 
"For if God spared not the natural branches 
take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, 
therefore, the goodness and severity of God, 
on them which fell, severity ; but towards thee, 



170 



goodness, if thou continue in Eis goodness; 
otherwise thou shalt be cut off." Rom. xi, 21, 22. 

This is a precautionary admonition, couched 
in prophetic language. We have not continued 
in Christ's "goodness" viz. in the plain precepts 
and spirit of the gospel. Judging from the 
most favorable symptoms for the past half cen- 
tury, how long will it be, before the whole world 
shall be converted to God, and all God's family 
live together in perfect harmony and love, 
when God's will shall be done on earth as it is 
done in heaven ? Would that desirable period 
ever arrive ? Reason says, never ; experience 
says, never; but God's immutable word of prom- 
ise, says it can and shall be so; Christ's prayer 
will not always continue to be a dead letter; 
the will of God shall yet be done on earth as it 
is done in heaven, when all shall know the Lord, 
from the least unto the greatest, when nothing 
shall hurt nor destroy in all God's holy moun- 
tain, when the lion and the lamb shall lie down 
together in peaceful harmony and love* 



XXVI. 

A REASONABLE INQUIRY ANSWERED. 

An important inquiry will here be made. 
When shall that happy day be ushered in? 
God has reserved the knowledge of this glori- 
ous event to himself, to whom secret things 
belong, and those things only which are reveal- 
ed to us and our children. It is best that it 
should be so ; if the hour of our death had here 
been revealed to the human family, it would 
have been an evil of serious import. Neither 
i3 it proper or important that we should know 
the precise time when the millennial glory shall 
dawn upon our benighted world. The apos- 
tle to the Gentiles, in reply to an inquiry 
made by the church of Thessalonica, says : "But 
of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no 
need that I write unto you. For yourselves 
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so 
cometh as a thief in the night. For when they 
shall say peace and safety ; then sudden de- 
struction cometh upon them, as travail upon a 



172 



woman with child, and they shall not escape.'* 
1 Thess. v, 1, 2, 3. 

In regard to the introduction of that glorious 
period, our Divine Master says, " Watch, there- 
fore, for ye know not what hour your Lord 
doth come. But know this, if the good man of 
the house had known in what watch the thief 
would come, he would have watched, and would 
not have suffered his house to be broken up. 
Therefore, be ye also ready; for in such an 
hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." 
Matt, xxiv, 42, 43, 44. 

The Lord Jesus has also informed us, that 
great efforts would be made, previous to the in- 
troduction of that day. Zealously engaged in 
the cause of Christ, deceiving and being deceiv- 
ed, and in view of those things, he gives us the 
following caution and information. "Then if 
any man shall say unto you, lo, here is Christ, 
or there; believe it not, for there shall arise 
false Christs and false prophets, and shall show 
great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it 
were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 
Behold, I have told you before, wherefore, if 
they shall say unto you, behold, He is in the 
desert; go not forth; behold, he is in the secret 



173 



chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning 
cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto 
the west ; so shall also the coming of the Son of 
Man be." Matt, xxiv, 23 — 27. Further in re- 
gard to that great day, and the imposing and 
delusive scenes and efforts to make proselytes, 
rather than humble, holy, bible christians ; 
Christ gives us the following salutary caution. 
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time 
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and 
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that 
day come upon you unawares. For as a snare 
shall it come on all them that dwell on the 
face of the earth. Watch ye, therefore, and 
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy 
to escape all these things that shall come to 
pass." Luke xxi, 34, 35, 36. The Lord Jesus 
has given us further instruction in regard to the 
coming of the great and dreadful day of the 
Lord, the introduction of His glorious kingdom 
when He shall reign, as He now rules in heav- 
en. "And as it was in the days of Noe, so 
shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man ; 
they did eat, they drank, they married wives, 
they were given in marriage until the day that 
Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and 



174 



destroyed them all. Likewise, also, as it was in 
the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they 
bought, they sold, they planted, they builded ; 
but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, 
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and 
destroyed them all ; even thus shall it be in the 
day when the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 
xvii, 26—30. 

In the face of all those solemn and momen- 
tous declarations in regard to coming events, it 
behooves us to attend to the injunction, "be ye 
also ready" stand among the Noahs and the 
Lots, unblamable and unrebukable in God's 
sight. We can lose nothing, and may gain 
everything by being ready, holy in heart, in life, 
and in all manner of conversation, knowing that 
for every idle word we speak, we shall have to 
give an account in the day of judgment. 

INTIMATIONS OF ITS NEAR APPROACH. 

The signs of the times — the troubled ele- 
ments which characterize the days in which we 
live, are indeed ominous, and proclaim aloud in 
wisdom's ear, the day of the Lord draweth nigh. 
The great and dreadful day of the Lord, when 
Christ shall come again in power and great glo- 



175 



ry, to establish his kingdom in universal tri- 
umph, when God's will shall be done on earth 
as it is done in heaven, when the kingdoms of 
this world shall become the kingdoms of our 
Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for- 
ever and ever. Amen. Come Lord Jesus and 
come quickly, and let all the world say, amen. 

We may infer from the rapid increase of 
light now shining, and rapidly on the increase, 
the near approach of Christ. The Lord Jesus 
says, ''I am the light of the world" All light, 
whether moral or intellectual or scientific, must 
emanate from the incarnate Son of God. As 
the sun is the source of all the light with which 
our world is favored; so Christ is eminently the 
sun of righteousness, from whom all light must 
proceed. When we see the morning star, we 
know the sun is near ; when the day dawns, he 
is still nearer, and as the light increases, until 
the king of day appears in full view to enlight- 
en, comfort and invigorate our gloomy world. 



16 



XXVII. 



AN ADDITIONAL OBJECTION ANSWERED. 

Good, and wise, and learned men of God, cry 
out indignantly, away with such a fellow from 
the earth; his views are wild and absurd— is 
this indeed the order of God ? Has a wise and 
merciful being done so much for the human 
family, and all to be destroyed ? We cannot 
believe it. The great work of redemption will 
continue to progress and increase more and 
more, until the whole lump is leavened, until 
the whole earth shall be filled with the knowl- 
edge and glory of God. "Upon this rock will 
I build my church, and the gates of hell shall 
not prevail against it." 

It is not intimated, nor presumed in the 
above theory or view of coming events, that 
they will take place in harmony with the divine 
arrangements for men's redemption, or in strict 
accordance with the decrees and order of God, 
but in consequence of man's derangement, his 
disorder, rebellion and folly. 



177 



Why was the antideluvians destroyed, and 
also the cities of the plain ? Was it by the or- 
der or decree of God ? Was it arranged in the 
divine plan to make a world, and people it with 
rational human beings, and then drown them 
all but one family ? Not so, but the wickedness 
of wicked men, caused the anger of God to be 
poured forth upon the rebellious inhabitants of 
the earth. Nor would it be difficult to prove to 
the satisfaction of any intelligent mind, unbias- 
ed by prejudice, that the wickedness of the 
present day (notwithstanding all our light, and 
learning, and talent, and money) is greater than 
it was when the antideluvians were destroyed, 
or the Sodomites, when their city was consumed 
and sunk. The significant and awful declara- 
tion of our Saviour, in comparing some event 
yet in the future, to those dreadful visitations 
upon the antideluvians and the Sodomites, is 
conclusive evidence that the wickedness of the 
people at that eventful period will be as great, 
or greater than the sins of those people devoted 
to destruction. 

We have already proved, to the satisfaction 
of every unprejudiced mind, that those awful 
events predicted by the Lord Jesus, cannot yet 



178 



have been fulfilled, nor can they ever be, after 
the introduction of the millennium, when all 
shall be purified and made righteous before 
God. 

Those who deny that the wickedness of the 
inhabitants of the christian world is as great or 
greater than those of the old world, must remem- 
ber that a just and holy God will not measure our 
amount of guilt, so much by the actions of our 
life, as by the light we have enjoyed, the privi- 
leges we have slighted. Hence, Christ said to 
the proud Jews, including the Pharisees, (who 
were more rigid, by far, in the observance of the 
law of Moses, than we are in regard to Christ's 
law.) "It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and 
Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for you." 
Not, we presume, because their acts of infamy 
were greater, but because of the increased priv- 
ileges enjoyed, and shamefully slighted by the 
latter. Therefore, judging by this sacred and 
divine rule, will not our punishment be greater 
than that inflicted upon either the antideluvians, 
the Sodomites or the Jews? Let us now for a 
moment, examine the piety of the Pharisees, 
and the sins of the Sodomites. ■ 

We have the character of the former, given 



179 



in the following prayer, "God, I thank thee 
that I am not as other men are, extortioners, 
unjust, adulterers, or even as the publican. 
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that 
I possess." The Lord Jesus did not accuse 
this Pharisee of making a false statement, and 
yet He declared that it should be more tolera- 
ble for Sodom than for that generation, in the 
day of judgment. It is greatly to be feared 
that we cannot find many in our highly favored 
day, who can fully measure up to the standard 
expressed in the Pharisee's prayer. Nor were 
the Pharisees as a sect few in number in our Sa- 
viour's day. Another of that sect, of high 
standing in the church, and not inferior to any 
of the disciples of our Lord, could say, "Men 
and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience 
before God until this day." This declaration, 
doubtless, refers to Paul's integrity and honesty 
when he was a sinner and a Pharisee, while he 
was thus in darkness, he lived up fully to his 
privileges, as far as he understood them. 

Let us now look into and investigate the 
character and crimes of the Sodomites, given 
by the highest authority, even God himself, 
"As I live saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sis- 
16* 



180 



ter, hath not done, she nor her daughter, as 
thou hast done ? thou and thy daughters. 
Behold, this was the sin of thy sister Sodom, 
pride, fulness of bread and abundance of idle- 
ness was in her, and in her daughters, neither 
did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the 
needy." Ezekiel xvi, 48, 49. Such were the 
crimes of Sodom, as preferred against her by 
the righteous Judge of all the earth; doubtless 
they were guilty of others. 

Let us now impartially look into the heart of 
most of our large christian cities, and our eyes 
will be disgusted and our hearts sickened with 
the sight, the deeds of deep and nameless de- 
pravity found there, and exposed to public view 
every day, and published in the daily records of 
the day. But who can form a correct idea of 
the awful picture which lies obscured from hu- 
man vision, and seen only by the eye of an om- 
niscient G-od! And when we turn our eyes 
away from this repulsive scene, and look into 
the church, God's house on earth, we can scarce- 
ly find one member who is (as he has been 
taught to pray) doing the will of God as it is 
done in heaven ; and very few who can humbly 
and honestly say, they are living up to all their 



181 



gospel privileges. And yet our wise brethren 
are insulted, and think it a dreadful heresy to 
suppose that God will destroy us, as He did the 
antideluvians, though our light is more than an 
hundred-fold greater than was theirs, and our 
crimes, at least equal if not greater than theirs 
were. It is true we have a few righteous men 
left in our Sodom, to preserve and keep us from 
destruction ; a few Lots, and a few Noahs ; yet 
it is greatly to be feared, that the number of 
those holy men is decreasing ; the alluring, de- 
ceptions world is drawing them away from the 
cross, and binding them fast in the arms of 
Mammon, while the watchmen assure us that the 
ark is moving on most successfully ; hence, that 
day will come upon us unawares ; for as a snare 
shall it come upon all them that dwell on the 
face of the whole earth. 

As it regards the sin or the morality of the an- 
tideluvians, we know but little ; they had all cor- 
rupted their way and become desperately wick- 
ed, with one honorable exception — one family 
was then found righteous before God. Their 
light, however, when compared with ours, was 
profound darkness. 

Some learned and intelligent writers think 



182 



that there were as many men on the earth at 
the time of the flood, as there are in the pres- 
ent day ; and yet they had but one preacher of 
righteousness and no bibles, no printing presses, 
nothing, no, nothing compared with our highly 
favored day ; yet they were all swept away with 
the flood. This should be a salutary, as it is a 
solemn warning to us, especially as the Lord 
Jesus Christ has assured us that the approach- 
ing doom of mankind (or His second coming) 
will be like the fate of the wicked antidelu- 
vians, and the more wicked Sodomites. 

We should not, therefore, condemn and find 
fault with a plain, rational view of a most im- 
pressive and highly important portion of God's 
word, because it specifies the exposure and over- 
throw of a discordant and impure people, who 
are called the Church of Christ; but inquire 
honestly, are we living up to all our gospel du- 
ties and privileges ? Are we what we should 
be ? Are we what the gospel requires us to be ? 
Are we well prepared to meet the bridegroom 
at his approach, should it be at the midnight 
hour, should it be this night ? Could we meet 
the Lord Jesus with as much confidence and joy 
as an affectionate wife would meet her husband 



183 



who had been absent a few months ? Have we 
the spirit of Christ ? If we have not, the plain 
word declares we are none of His! When 
Jesus was reviled, he reviled not again, and 
with His expiring breath prayed for His mur- 
derers ! Have we the spirit which thus influen- 
ced and governed our blessed Saviour, through 
life, and in death ? 

If we discover that in these things we are 
deficient, greatly deficient, let us not cry peace, 
peace, when sudden destruction may be at our 
door. 

If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who 
shall prepare himself for the battle? Should 
we not rather sound an alarm in Zion, not en- 
thusiastically, but righteously, rationally and 
scripturaily, that we and our friends may not 
perish, and perish eternally. May we all take 
the alarm, and now begin in earnest to set our 
house in order, that we may not die eternally, 
but live and reign with Christ, in His kingdom, 
when all sin and sinners shall be destroyed, 
when nothing shall hurt or destroy in all God's 
holy mountain. 

Let us begin, like good Josiah, to cleanse the 
temple, the important temple of our heart, that 



184 



the church of Christ, purchased with His own 
blood, may be found without spot or wrinkle, 
that we may stand before God unblamable and 
unrebukable in His sight. Amen. 



PIOUS REFLECTIONS, 
WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED SOME YEARS SINCE 

IN THE 

CHRISTIAN REPOSITORY, PHILADELPHIA, 

AND THE 

PRACTICAL PREACHER, OHIO, 

APFECTIONATEY RECOMMENDED 

TO ALL 

Who Love the Lord Jesus Christ 

IN SINCERITY. 

"Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove 
your ownselves. Know ye not your ownselves, how that 
Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." 2 Cor. xiii,5. 



CHRISTIAN PURITY. 



PURITY ELEVATES AXD HAPPIFIES. 

"And every man that hath tins hope in him pur l- 
fieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John iii, 3. 

This text exhibits the christian's hope ; its 
character, its object, and the salutary influence 
it exerts on his life and conduct. 

1st. Its character. It is a rational, a living 
hope. "Blessed be the God and Father of our, 
Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to His 
abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a 
lively hope." 1 Peter i, 3. It is not only a 
"lively" or living hope, because the poor dead 
sinner has been born again, and adopted into 
God's family on earth, but it has for its foun- 
dation an unclouded present knowledge of the 
fact. "Now are we the sons of Grod." It is 
not an object of hope, that he has been born 
again, and that he is now a child of God — this 
he has fully realized ; on this solid basis firmly 
rests his hope, and from that strong position, 
17 



188 



and holy eminence, his hope stretches her arms 
into the deepest recesses of eternity, confidently 
grasping all the realities and blessings of an un- 
ending heaven, where the child of God is placed 
beyond the reach of death, or of human contin- 
gencies. 

2d. Its oljeet. The object on which the 
Christian's hope places her eyes, and around 
which she throws her unyielding arms of expec- 
tation and desire, is the appearance of Jesus 
Christ " When he shall appear." Ver. 2. This 
glorious event is more dear to him, and more 
to be desired than life, and all the glories of this 
sin disordered world. More anxious is he to 
see his Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, than 
the affectionate wife is to see the return of her 
absent husband ; although he has only been from 
home a few months, the appearance of her hus- 
band absorbs all other thoughts, and excites an 
indescribable anxiety to realize that to her of 
all other objects the most important. She does 
not inquire, nor is she anxious to know, how he 
will come ; whether he will return walking on 
his feet, or riding on his horse, or in his car- 
riage ; this to her is matter of indifference ; her 
great desire is to see her absent husband ; nor 



189 



is she particular as it regards the hour of his 
arrival, whether it be in the evening, or morn- 
ing, or at midnight — "welcome, welcome hus- 
band at any moment !" Would not this be the 
sentiment, and the language of every virtuous 
wife whose husband had been long absent ? And 
shall the Bride, the Lamb's wife, manifest indif- 
ference in regard to the appearance of the 
Bridegroom ? If so, is it not conclusive evi- 
dence that her love has waxed cold, if indeed it 
has not been placed on some other object? 
Should not the ardent, unceasing language of 
every child of God be, "come, Lord Jesus, and 
come quickly — now, this moment?" 

If the affectionate wife had no good reason to 
expect her absent husband's return soon, yet 
would she hope, and look with intense anxiety 
for that most desirable event. Not so the 
church. She has strong reasons to expect the 
immediate appearance of the Lord Jesus — she 
has his own gracious promise that he will come 
and will not tarry. "And behold I come quick- 
ly ; and my reward is with me, to give every 
man according as his work shall be." Rev. xxii, 
12. And yet his Bride, the Church, manifests 
indifference on the subject, and would rather 



190 



not see Him soon ! 0, shame, where is thy 
blush ! Should not the language of every sin- 
cere Christian's heart be, "come, Lord Jesus, 
and come quickly ?" Yes, his incessant cry is, 
"I do hope for, and ardently desire the coming 
and glorious appearing of Him who died for 
me ; he will bring with him a crown of eternal 
life, and not for me only, but for all those who 
love His appearing" This is the great object 
of the Christian's hope. 

3d. The influence this hope exerts on the 
Christian's life and conduct. "He purifieth 
himself, even as he is pure," This standard is 
very high, and exalts the child of God to an 
elevated eminence— "even as He" (God) "is 
pure." There exists a very great disparity be- 
tween the infant, and his wise, learned and weal- 
thy father. The child is perfectly weak, help- 
less and ignorant, and yet his distinguished 
father, though he be a governor, or a king, con- 
siders his infant child as standing on a perfect 
level with himself ; the child is equally honora- 
ble in his character, and perfectly identified as 
one with his father. This natural and plain 
illustration, give us at least an imperfect idea 
of the high and honorable state which every child 



191 



of God sustained ; while there exists an infinite 
disparity between the ignorent, helpless indi- 
vidual who had been born again, and by regen- 
eration adopted into the family of God, and his 
holy, wise, omnipotent Father ; yet by virtue of 
his adoption into Christ's family, he becomes 
dear to God, and in a very important sense, 
raised to an equality with his heavenly Father. 
The child, however, is not to remain a helpless 
infant ; as a new born babe he should receive 
the sincere milk of the word that he may grow 
thereby ; and thus in accordance with the sen- 
timent expressed in our text, he "imrifieth him- 
self." 

1st. He purifietJi his affections : he examines 
his heart carefully and impartially. He knows 
that he must love God with all his heart, with 
all his strength, with all his mind, and his neigh- 
bor as himself. He also knows that if he loves 
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
He therefore compares himself, his principles 
and affections, with the young man in the gospel, 
who had kept all the law, yet refused to sell his 
earthly possessions and give them to the poor, 
when his Saviour required him to do so. By an 
application of his Master's salutary rule, he can 
17* 



192 



ascertain definitely whether he loves the world 
more or less ; and if he for one moment doubts 
the purity of his affections he immediately adopts 
the Saviour's rule, he sells all and gives it to 
the poor, which has a direct tendency to purify 
his affections as it regards the world, viz. money 
or property. He would rather cut off his right 
hand, than entertain any doubts or fears res- 
pecting the purity of his affection for his Re- 
deemer, the Holy One of Israel. He further 
asks his own heart, "if all my costly goods and 
possessions were taken from me by any contin- 
gency, could I with good old Job bear it patient- 
ly, and praise God for that peculiar dispensa- 
tion of his providence?" As a candid, honest, 
honorable man, he attends to this duty not only 
faithfully, but promptly. He is well convinced 
that if his wife's affections were not purely placed 
on him now, although she might assure him that 
she would love him purely and exclusively at 
some future period, at least before her death, it 
would be cruel mockery. Therefore he does not 
defer this momentous business with his Maker 
until to-morrow; he purifieth his affections 
promptly. 

2d. Ee purifieth his motives. Christ declares 



193 



that no man can serve two masters ; and says, 
"if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be 
full of light." Enoch walked with God three 
hundred years, nor can two walk together unless 
they be agreed — unless they perfectly harmo- 
nize in sentiment and disposition. The patri- 
arch had the testimony that he pleased God ; 
this should be the good man's motive in all 
things, and at all times : therefore, whether he 
eats, or drinks, or wears, or buys, or sells, he 
does all to please God. In eating, his motive 
is not to gratify his appetite, but to promote his 
health. His motive in wearing any kind of ap- 
parel is not to please any individual on earth, 
but purely to meet the approbation of the Lord 
Jesus, and humble his own heart, knowing that 
God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the 
humble. Likewise in preaching, his motive is 
exclusively to please God, and benefit man; he 
is well convinced that if his motive in part is to 
secure a good name, and gain the favor of man, 
or to increase his temporal gain, his motive is 
not pure, and will not stand the scrutinizing eye 
of God in the judgment day. In his literary 
pursuits, his studies, his motive is exclusively to 
please God, and benefit his hearers. He pre- 



194 



pares himself to preach the gospel (like his Di- 
vine Master) to the poor, and if the rich are 
profited thereby, he is well pleased. He purifieth 
his motives. 

3d. He purifieth his thoughts. "For from with- 
in, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, 
adulteries, fornication, murders." Mark viii, 21. 
"Casting down imaginations and every high 
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge 
of God, and bringing into captivity every thought 
to the obedience of Christ.'' 2 Cor. x, 5. By 
way of purifying his thoughts, he honestly asks 
his own heart, "if all the thoughts I have indulg- 
ed through the past week were published to the 
world, would I feel as calm and composed in 
view of the fact as I now do ?" If not, then do I 
fear man more than God, which is very corrupt. 
Solemn reflection, that all our thoughts are per- 
fectly known to God ! He, therefore, purifieth 
his thoughts by indulging none for a moment of 
which he would feel ashamed if they were all 
published to the world, nor of which he would 
feel ashamed in the judgment day. If evil or 
impure thoughts are pressed suddenly upon his 
mind by surrounding and evil circumstances, he 
instantly rejects them, and flies promptly to the 



195 



Lord Jesus for succor and deliverance. He 
purifieth his thoughts. 

4th. He purifieth his words. "But I say 
unto you, that every idle word that men shall 
speak, they shall give account thereof in the 
day of judgment. For by thy ivords shalt thou 
be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be con- 
demned." Matt, xii, 36, 37. "For our conver- 
sation is in heaven." Phil, iii, 20. He honestly 
asks his own heart, "would I be willing to have 
all the words that I have spoken, during the 
past day, or week, rehearsed in public ? If not, 
do I not fear man more than God ? They are 
all recorded in heaven, and will soon be read 
out before a congregated world. The child of 
God purifieth his words by the exercise of a 
living consistent faith, which always realizes 
the presence of God, therefore, his words are 
all spoken in the immediate presence of the Lord 
Jesus, and to please God, nor will he be ashamed 
or condemned when they are publicly proclaimed 
before the whole world. He has never used 
any dissimulation at any time, or under any 
circumstances; nor said anything behind any 
man's back which he would not have said to his 
face. All his words have been spoken in truth 



196 



and sincerity, and in a spirit of pure love. He 
purifieth his words. 

5th. His desires. "Whom have I in heaven 
but Thee ? and there is none upon earth that I 
desire beside Thee." Psalm lxxiii, 25. The 
child of God so far purifieth his desires, that he 
only wishes to possess and enjoy God, and all 
earthly things in, and by, Him. He does not 
desire riches or poverty, ease or pain, life or 
death, but God only. 

In the arms and favor of his Heavenly Fa- 
ther, he enjoys all things richly, and can re- 
joice in tribulation, and take pleasure in neces- 
sities, in distresses, in persecutions ; he is per- 
fectly willing to be accounted as the filth and 
offscouring of all things, for Christ's sake. In 
God he has all his desires fully realized. He 
purifieth his desires. 

6th. His actions. All his works are wrought 
in God, and in perfect accordance with his re- 
vealed word. Therefore, he does not conform 
to the world, its fashions, maxims and customs, 
because God's word forbids it. For the same 
reason, he has no desire or intention, to lay up 
treasure on earth. He gives liberally to all 
who need, as of the ability he possesseth, not 



197 



suffering his right hand to know what his left 
hand doeth ; all, all is done in God's immediate 
presence, and designed purely to please the 
Lord Jesus Christ; and in strict conformity 
with His divine law, he loves his neighbor as 
himself. He visits the widow and the father- 
less in their affliction, and keeps himself unspot- 
ted from the world, knowing that this is esteem- 
ed pure and undefiled religion before God and 
the Father. He is not willing to indulge in the 
comforts and gratifications of life while his Sa- 
viour's mother, sister, or brother may need any 
of the necessaries of life, and knowing that 
those who are dear to Christ, are in very many 
instances, in suffering circumstances, it compels 
him to deny himself the comforts of life, and to 
take up his cross and follow the Lord Jesus, in 
his holy self-denying life daily. He does nothing, 
no nothing to be seen of men, nor to secure 
their favor, but purely to please God. He puri* 
fieth his actions. 

Dear readers, turn your eyes away from the 
pomp and vanity of this evil world, and your 
ears from the contention and discord which 
marks our present evil day, and attend to the 
above specified duties and privileges, and you 



198 



need not be afraid or ashamed to meet the Judge 
of all the earth, and an assembled world, when 
the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed in the 
Judgment Day. 



SPIRITUAL, VISION. 



"And anoint thine eyes luith eye-salve that thou 
may est see" — Rev. iii, 18. 

It is a melancholy fact, perceptible to the 
eyes of the most superficial observer, that men, 
since the apostacy of our first parents, are uni- 
versally born blind — intellectually and morally 
blind. Sin has despoiled all the original beauty 
and glory of man ; the image of God has been 
erased from his soul, and the likeness of Satan 
has been inscribed on every feature of his im- 
mortal part. The child born a few years since 
heir to the crown of Great Britain, was as 
Hind (ignorant) as the infant born in the dark 
land of Africa. That disability or blemish, 
however, can and will be removed by natural 
means. The child's intellectual eyes must, and 
will be anointed with the light of science, ap^ 
plied by human effort. He must commence just 
where the beggar or the slave begins, viz. with 
A, B, C, and thus by care, skill and effort, in 
time his intellectual eyes will be opened, so that 
18 



200 



he may behold and enjoy all the beauties and 
privileges of literature and science. The moral 
eyes, however, are not affected either more or 
less (necessarily) by this process ; nor can they 
be opened by the wisdom or power of men. 
God alone can open the eyes of one born mor- 
ally blind. It may here be remarked, (and it 
should make a deep impression upon the minds 
of professing christians in the present age of 
the world,) that all who have had their intel- 
lectual eyes opened, perceive all literary objects 
alike. The letters have the same appearance 
and import ; figures convey an idea of the same 
number; there is no discord in this respect 
among those who can read. Should any num- 
ber of individuals, (whose intellectual eyes have 
been opened by education,) traveling on the 
highway, meet with a sign post directing the 
traveler to some distant point, say ten miles to 
Philadelphia, they would all harmonize in their 
sentiments — there would be no discord or dis- 
sension in regard to the intelligence inscribed 
on the mile post. But alas for the discordant 
state of Christianity, even in the nineteenth 
century ! God has given us plain written di- 
rections, and established sign posts along the 



201 



entire road leading from earth to heaven; from 
a land of darkness, pain and death, to a world 
of light, and peace, and joy, and life ; yet a 
diversity of opinion exists in regard to the par- 
ticular meaning of those directions. 

The bible has been written in plain language 
by a good and merciful God, who is our father 
to guide and direct His ignorant wandering 
children to the kingdom of heaven ; nor can we 
possibly believe that God who gave His Son to 
redeem and save our fallen and rebellious race, 
could design or wish to bewilder His helpless 
children on their journey to the eternal world, 
who are approaching heaven or hell with every 
step they make. 

What, therefore, can be the real cause of the 
diversity of opinion which obtains among chris- 
tians, those who profess to be traveling on the 
king's highway? Is it not because their moral 
eyes have not been opened ? 

As this is a point of infinite importance to 
every christian, it will be prudent to examine it 
thoroughly. If our moral eyes have indeed 
been opened, we will see spiritually, and spirit- 
ual objects as distinctly, and as satisfactorily as 
we perceive terrestrial things with our natural 



202 



eyes, or letters and figures with our intellectual 
optics. If, therefore, our moral vision is perfect, 
we shall always see God before our eyes— this 
is a great and important truth, which no reflect- 
ing man will attempt to deny. "Do I not fill 
heaven and earth? saith the Lord." Our 
blessed Saviour says, "For where two or three 
are gathered together in my name, there am I 
in the midst of them." God is as certainly 
present every moment as the friend who now 
stands before me. Do I, therefore, see him 
with my spiritual, or moral eyes, or by the eye 
of faith, as clearly as I perceive the friend with 
whom I converse? If our eyes have been 
opened, and we do not see and set God always 
before our eyes, we will naturally perceive the 
next most important object on earth, viz. the 
Bible — God's word which has been given to us 
for a directory, to point out the true and only 
way to heaven, and perfectly understand the 
real meaning of every command, of every pre- 
cept, and every promise, with as much certain- 
ty and harmony, as travelers see and read the 
direction on the sign post. Then would every 
discordant sound or sentiment among christians 
cease, and every murmur be hushed, and every 



203 



fear quieted ; while a perfect, constant, univer- 
sal principle of confidence in God, and recon- 
ciliation to His word and will, would naturally 
secure to our souls peace and contentment under 
all the vicissitudes of this eventful life. 

When we turn our eyes to the heavenly 
directory (the bible) and read "Be ye holy for I 
am holy" — "Without holiness no man shall see 
the Lord," and again, "Be ye, therefore, per- 
fect, even as your Father which is in heaven is 
perfect." Realizing the import of those pre- 
cious commands in our heart, we would perfectly 
understand their salutary meaning without the 
aid of learned commentators, or of controversy. 
When the man with his eyes open reads the fol- 
lowing inscriptions recorded in Matt, xii, 36, 
and Ephes. v, 34, "But I say unto you, that 
every idle word that men shall speak, they shall 
give an account thereof in the day of judg- 
ment." "But fornification and all uncleanness 
or covetousness, let it not once be named among 
you, as becometh saints ; neither filthiness, nor 
foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not con- 
venient; but rather of giving thanks.'' He 
knows perfectly those who indulge in those for- 
bidden things, are walking in the road which 
18* 



204 



leads to death and ruin. To what an alarming 
extent do these vices obtain in the church! 
Idle words, foolish talking and jesting, alas 
how common, even among those of us who min- 
ister in holy things. Surely we do not recollect 
that it is written in that holy book, "If the 
blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the 
ditch.' ' 

T^ie next object which will naturally attract 
the attention of those whose eyes have been 
made to see clearly, will be the good hand of 
God, in regulating His divine providences. 
Whether they are called to drink of the cup of 
adversity or prosperity, they know that all 
things shall work together for their good. 
Thus they journey on through life, trusting in 
God. Every moment they see His gracious 
hand extended to guide all their steps— to de- 
fend their defenceless heads, and to sustain and 
comfort them in every hour of distress and dan- 
ger. They fearlessly and faithfully follow the 
Lamb whithersoever he goeth. They hear the 
Lord Jesus say, "I am the light of the world ; 
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness." 
Therefore, from their enemies they have noth- 
ing to fear, while they keep their eyes open, 



205 



and steadfastly placed on a crucified Saviour, a 
risen Redeemer. They possess the spirit of 
Christ now, and have the promise of eternal 
life in heaven, and they want no more. 

Secondly. — Inquire how we may secure this 
great and important blessing ? How may our 
spiritual and moral eyes be opened? The 
counsel directs us to "anoint our eyes with eye- 
salve" By the eye-salve recommended, I ap- 
prehend, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is 
meant. As none but God can open the natural 
eyes of one born blind, neither can our moral 
blindness be removed, and spiritual vision re- 
stored to the soul, but by the power and grace 
of Jesus Christ. The grace of God should be 
diligently sought for, and applied in our closet, 
on our knees by humble, fervent, faithful pray- 
er. Applications made to our natural eyes, 
generally give acute pain, so with the grace of 
our Lord Jesus Christ in its operation ; in the 
form of deep and pungent conviction, it is ex- 
ceedingly painful, especially if it is applied in 
an evangelical manner. 

When David felt its piercing influence, he 
immediately cried, "The sorrows of death com- 
passed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon 



206 



me ; I found trouble and sorrow. Then called 
I upon the name of the Lord. Lord I be- 
seech thee deliver my soul." The publican, 
under the influence of converting grace, smote 
upon his breast, and exclaimed in the agony of 
his soul, "God be merciful to me a sinner." 
When the blind man was requested to tell how 
his eyes were opened, he said, "A man that is 
called Jesus, made clay and anointed mine 
eyes, and said unto me, go to the pool of Siloam 
and wash ; and I went and washed and I re- 
ceived sight." In like manner when the poor 
blind sinner feels the grace of conviction pierc- 
ing him deeply and painfully, he may go to the 
pool of Siloam, the redeeming love of Jesus, 
there he may wash by faith and receive his 
sight. He then sees Christ crucified every mo- 
ment before his eyes. He sees his duty and 
his danger, and walks securely leaning on the 
Lord Jesus. He would rather suffer death than 
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, or trifle in his 
Saviour's presence. Neither does he indulge 
in gloomy or desponding reflections. He can 
confidently say with the pious Psalmist, "Yea 
though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with 



207 



me ; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." 
He sees God ever before his eyes, in His word 
and in his providences, and confidently claims 
all his great and precious promises, and by faith 
appropriates them to himself. Hence he is 
rich in poverty; strong in weakness; wise in 
ignorance, and happy and contented amidst all 
the storms of this sin disordered world. 

As there are two kinds of light, or vision, it 
will be necessary to examine this important 
subject with great care. The apostle exhorts 
us to examine ourselves whether we be in the 
faith ; prove your own selves, &c. Our Saviour 
says expressively, "If the light that is in thee 
be darkness, how great is that darkness." If 
we mistake, and substitute intellectual and sci- 
entific, for spiritual or moral vision, it will prove 
ruinous to our souls. There is, however, no 
necessity that we should be deceived, if we at- 
tend prayerfully to the marks of distinction 
which exists between these two sources of light. 

Spiritual, moral light deeply humbles the 
creature, man, and exalts the Saviour. Grace 
causes us to dread the fatal influence of the 
world; hence when our moral eyes are made 
to see clearly, we avoid the smiles and applause 



208 



of men, and dread popularity and wealth, as we 
would deadly poison, while we cleave with fear 
and trembling to the cross of Christ every 
moment. 

Intellectual light generally inspires much 
confidence in our abilities and learning, and 
excites within our bosom rather a desire than 
a dread of the admiration and applause of men, 
and naturally inclines us to be called Rabbi, 
Rabbi, notwithstanding our Saviour's impressive 
admonition, "How can ye believe which receive 
honor, one of another?" Under the sacred in- 
fluence of grace, true moral light or vision, in- 
clines and ennobles us when we are reviled, to 
bless ; when persecuted, to suffer it ; when de- 
famed, to entreat ; and makes us willing to be 
made as the filth of the world, and the offscour- 
ing of all things. The language of grace is, 
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the 
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the 
world is crucified unto me, and I unto the 
world." 

The light of science influences us generally, 
to admire splendid talents, eloquence of lan- 
guage, the beauty of rhetoric, &c, which has a 
tendency to vitiate our taste, and renders the 



209 



plain, unlettered, simple preaching of Christ 
crucified insipid. Hence a grammatical error 
or an awkward gesture or expression, is offensive 
to the refined sensibility of the wise and learn- 
ed, and they are ready to cry out, "Away with 
such a fellow from the earth, how can he teach 
us the way to heaven?" Scientific light or 
vision, unaccompanied with great grace, (which 
is frequently the case,) causes the offence of the 
cross to cease, and emboldens us to climb up 
some other way than by the cross of Christ. 
Hence, the great importance of the counsel in 
our text. "Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve 
that thou may est see." 



JUSTICE. 



"He that is faithful in that ichicli is least, is 
faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the 
least, is unjust also in much." — Luke xvi, 10. 

Justice is a divine principle inseparably 
blended with the eternal throne of God/ "Jus- 
tice and judgment are the habitation of thy 
throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy 
face." Psalms lxxxix, 14. "The God of Israel 
said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that 
ruleth over men must he just, ruling in the fear 
of God— And he shall be as the light of the 
morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning 
without clouds ; as the tender grass springing 
out of the earth by clear shining after rain." 
2 Sam. xxiii, 3, 4. "A false balance is abom- 
ination to the Lord ; but a just weight is His 
delight." Proverbs xi, 1. Justice is a funda- 
mental principle in our holy religion, one of 
the immovable pillars on which the Church of 
Christ must ever rest. That well known sen- 
timent expressed by the Athenians in reply to 
an unrighteous proposition made by Themisto- 



211 



cles, "Let justice prevail, if the pillars of 
heaven shall fall" should cause many profess- 
ed christians to blush. God himself could not 
pardon one sinner, until the full measure of 
justice in all its bearings had been met by His 
Eternal Son. The slightest degree of injustice 
(known to be such) will as certainly exclude us 
from heaven, as murder. Nor will this divine 
principle admit of any compromise. The laws 
of justice are stern and inflexible. The moment 
we diverge (knowingly) one hair's breadth from 
the straight line of justice, we forfeit every 
righteous claim to that elevated principle. 
The man who steals, or defrauds his neighbor 
only to the value of one cent, becomes a rogue 
a dishonest man, as certainly as if he had have 
stolen a thousand dollars. Hence we perceive 
the infinite importance of our Saviour's declara- 
tion, "He that is unjust in the least, is unjust 
also in much." "What is a man profited if he 
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own 
soul ?" Every prudent man will therefore 
pause, and weigh well his actions, desires, and 
motives, lest peradventure he might be found 
wanting, when he is weighed in the balance of 
eternal truth and justice* 
19 



212 



If we have in our possession, anything which 
belongs to another man, and he demands of us 
that which is his own, and we have it in our 
power, and refuse to comply with his request 
by withholding any part thereof, it is an act of 
injustice. It will be conceded by every intelli- 
gent person, that all we possess in this world, 
belongs to God — our souls and our bodies are His 
— all we have and are, including our money and 
property are His also. The earth is the Lord's, 
and the fulness thereof. When God demands 
our heart, and strict obedience to His divine 
law, we are bound promptly to surrender all to 
the rightful Sovereign of heaven and earth. If 
we keep back any part even of our affections, it 
is an unjust, and also an unrighteous act. If 
we indulge one desire in our hearts to procure 
any article for less than its real value, it is the 
quintessence of injustice. Our Divine Redeemer 
says, "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust 
after her, hath committed adultery with her 
already in his heart." This view of the subject 
will bear very hard on every species of specula- 
tion. Christ declares that it is as hard for a 
rich man to enter into the kingdon of heaven, as 
it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a nee- 



213 



die. Few ever become rich except by specula- 
tion. After man's apostacy from his Maker, God 
said, "In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat 
bread, till thou return unto the ground. 5 ' 
Therefore the only just and righteous way for 
every man to procure his sustenance is by hon- 
est labor, in the diligent pursuit of some honest 
calling. It will be said, "in pursuing this course, 
we must remain poor." Admit the supposition, 
is it not the most desirable place for us, as 
Christ blesses the poor, and denounces an awful 
woe against the rich ? We should also reflect 
seriously upon the case and fate of the rich 
man and the beggar, related by the Lord Jesus 
for our especial instruction. If we hire any 
species of property of our neighbor, we are in 
justice bound to give him a fair and righteous 
consideration for the use of it, whether it be a 
house, or a farm, or any other description of 
property. If we borrow money, we are justly 
bound to pay for the use of it the amount of 
interest specified by the laws of the state or 
country in which we live. It will be at once 
admitted by every intelligent individual that the 
silver and the gold all belongs to God, the cat- 
tle also upon a thousand hills are His. God has a 



214 



just and righteous claim on all things which His 
hand has made. Our heavenly Father giveth 
all His needy children their daily bread by 
blessing their labor, and unequivocally com- 
mends them not to lay up treasure on earth, 
and enjoins upon them a constant and daily 
course of self-denial. Since the introduction of 
sin into the world, Satan claims this world as 
his p9ssession by virtue of the victory he gained 
over man, for whose benefit all earthly things 
were created. 

The Lord Jesus did not deny Satan's claim 
when he asserted it in Christ's presence. "And 
the devil taketh him up into a high mountain, 
and showed unto him all the kingdoms of the 
world in a moment of time ; and the devil said 
unto him, all this power will I give thee, and 
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto 
me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it." Al- 
though the devil has no legitimate title to these 
things, for they all belong to God, yet by vir- 
tue of his conquest over God's children, their 
claim to those earthly privileges have been for- 
feited. 

When Christ conquered Satan in the wilder- 
ness, and finally and effectually on the cross, 



215 



He deposed him of his boasted possessions; 
those earthly things are through Jesus Christ 
restored to man, only in accordance with his 
permission and directions. When, therefore, 
we attempt to lay up treasure on earth, or to 
accumulate more than a sufficiency for the plain 
wants of life, we rebel against our rightful Sov- 
ereign, and virtually say, "We cannot trust 
thee, Lord, but if we have money or property 
to lean upon in the cloudy day, we can rest con- 
tented, and be perfectly happy. " As this is a 
solemn and important subject, one in which we 
are all deeply interested, let us examine it 
thoroughly. We see numerous persons with 
very little property or money, live and support 
their families ; why could we not do the same ? 
Only one legitimate reason can be assigned, viz. 
we are not willing to be poor. Will, not there- 
fore, a just and holy God hold us strictly ac- 
countable for all we possess over and above a 
sufficiency to support our family in accordance 
with the rules and regulations given by our 
Lord Jesus Christ ? Do we make a just and 
righteous estimate of all our extra property and 
money — all our unnecessary furniture and cloth- 
ing, &c, and do we regularly pay into the 
19* 



216 



Lord's treasury annually the legal interest on 
the amount ? If not, can we in the estimation 
of a righteous God be considered just stewards ? 
The poor man who works for his daily bread, 
will appear as a witness against us in the day of 
judgment, and prove that we too might have 
lived, and have supported one family as he did, 
without having earthly possessions or money to 
depend on. 

As the church is the light of the world, and 
compared by the Lord Jesus to a city set on a 
hill, her light should uniformly shine on a be- 
nighted world illuminating the path of every 
wayfaring traveler passing from time to eternity. 
We should not, therefore, shrink from the most 
rigid investigation of our life and conduct at all 
times, and under all circumstances. If we ap- 
propriate that which belongs to another person 
to our own use, without his permission, it is an 
act of injustice. As, therefore, the silver and 
gold all belongs to God, do we ask His permis- 
sion when we apply it to our own use ? It is 
reasonable and right that we should do so, be- 
cause it belongs to God, and we may at any 
time enter into our closet and ask Our Heav- 
enly Father's permission when we are about to 



217 



purchase any article, whatever the value may 
be, much or little. 

We live in an age of wonders — a day of great 
and increasing light. It is reasonable to infer 
from the pages of God's word and the signs of 
the times, that the important period is at hand 
when He whose right it is to reign, will take to 
himself his great power, and establish on earth 
his kingdom of universal peace and righteous- 
ness. The revolutionary spirit now abroad in 
the earth, and the convulsive throes felt by 
nearly all nations — the power that is now cast- 
ing down thrones, and kingdoms, and high heads, 
will continue to exert all its powerful influence 
until all oppression and pride, and injustice, and 
evil of every kind which exists either in Church 
or State shall be swept from the earth. It is, 
therefore, very important that we should deal 
faithfully with our own souls, and those whom 
God in his wisdom and providence has placed 
under our care. The day that cometh will re- 
veal all the secret things of the heart. It will 
be unwise and ruinous to cover or conceal one 
spot or wrinkle, because those stains have ex- 
isted in former times. Nor should we plead for 
the harmlessness of one evil or error because 



218 



our fathers were good men and they indulged 
therein. They lived in a darker day than we 
are favored with. The times of this ignorance 
God winked at, but now he commandeth all men 
everywhere to repent. May we all hear and 
obey the voice of the Son of God and live. 
May we who blow the gospel trumpet, not cause 
it to give an uncertain sound, lest the blood of 
the people be required at our hands. 



GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE. 



"J counsel thee to hay of me, gold tried in the 
fire, that thou mayest he rich: and white raiment 
that thou mayest he clothed, and that the shame of 
thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine 
eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see" — Rev. 
Hi, 18. 

When the apocalypse was written, which is 
addressed to seven different churches, five of 
them at that early period in the history of 
Christianity, were in a delinquent state, and the 
most offensive church among the delinquents 
was entirely unconscious of her deplorable condi- 
tion. Her confident language was, "I am rich, 
and increased in goods, and have need of 
nothing." But the righteous Judge of all the 
earth, decided that she was "wretched, and mis- 
erable, and poor, and blind, and naked." From 
those solemn and alarming facts, we perceive 
that men and churches have been, and may 
again be deceived by their own treacherous 
hearts ; hence the importance given to the Lao- 
dicean church ; let us profit thereby. 
First. — The Counsel. 



220 



1. "Buy of me gold tried in the fire." This 
is figurative language. The gold mentioned, 
no doubt means faith ; and to buy it, we must 
part with all our own sins and idols. In confir- 
mation of this conclusion, the apostle says, "That 
the trial of your faith, being much more pre- 
cious than of gold that perisheth, though it be 
tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and 
honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus 
Christ." 1 Peter i, 7. Gold enriches its pos- 
sessor, and possesses great power ; so does faith. 
Gold as a coin, will pass current in every coun- 
try on earth ; so the proper exercise of faith 
will conduct us in safety through the journey of 
life, and procure for us a triumphant entrance 
into the heavenly world. 

Having plainly adverted to the power of faith 
in my last communication, it will now be only 
necessary to enforce the counsel in the text, viz. 
"Buy gold tried in the fire." No man can 
know himself until he has been thoroughly tried. 

It is said, that pure gold will lose noth- 
ing by an application to it, of the most in- 
tense heat; neither will genuine faith lose 
anything by the severest trial. Christ has, 
therefore, wisely and mercifully provided an or- 



221 



deal for the purification of our faith, viz. the 
cross. In the investigation of this part of our 
subject, it will be profitable to advert to a few 
characters whose gold was tested in a fiery 
ordeal. 

First. — The case of the rich young man, who 
came to Christ, earnestly inquiring what he 
must do, to inherit eternal life, is very instruc- 
tive. Jesus informs him that he must keep the 
law ; which he declared he had done. He was 
moral, therefore, Jesus loved him; he was also 
amiable and sincere, which led him farther to 
inquire of Christ, "What lack I yet ?" Jesus 
replied, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell 
that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou 
shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come and 
follow me." His gold could not stand this or- 
deal — the dross appeared. He went away sor- 
rowful, for he had great possessions. 

Reader, if your gold was cast into the same 
ordeal, would there be no dross ? If you were 
commanded to sell all you have, and give the 
proceeds to the poor, would you, like good, faith- 
ful Abraham, comply cheerfully and promptly? 

Again. — The case of Peter affords a lesson of 
salutary instruction. Peter declared that he 



222 



would never deny his master ; nay, he would 
rather meet death than be guilty of such ingrat- 
itude and infidelity ; and yet in the course of a 
few hours afterwards, he positively denied that 
he knew Jesus Christ, and even confirmed it 
with oaths and imprecations ! He repented, 
however, he went out and wept bitterly and was 
freely forgiven. May every delinquent do like, 
wise. how many there are, who with their 
lips 'in the church, or closet, or in the pious cir- 
cle, confess Jesus, and when they are in the 
company of the wealthy and the worldly mind- 
ed, by their appearance and their conversation, 
and trifling conduct, deny the Lord Jesus, and 
trample his sacred cross beneath their feet. 

Turn we now with delight to the history of 
a few worthies, whose gold when it was tried in 
the fire, was found to be pure, without one par- 
ticle of dross. 

First. — Abraham, when God called and com- 
manded him to go three days' journey, and up- 
on a certain mountain offer up his son, his well 
beloved son Isaac, a burnt offering, the patri- 
arch obeyed promptly and without any kind of 
equivocation : he demanded no explanation, it 
was God that spoke. He asked for no extenu- 



223 



ation — he knew that God would require no more 
of him, than he would give grace and strength 
to meet. Abraham concealed those heavy ti- 
dings from his beloved Sarah ; he determined 
that no human being, nor any circumstance on 
earth, should prevent him from strictly dis- 
charging his duty. God's word shall be honor- 
ed and obeyed, cost what it may. "Isaac, or 
Sarah, or my own life — all — all shall be given 
up freely when that God who gave those bless- 
ings shall demand them at my hand." Nor 
could aught on earth but the authority of that 
Divine Being who had ordered him thus strange- 
ly and (apparently) unreasonably to act, divert 
him from his purpose. Thus when his arm 
was extended, and the knife at his son's heart, 
God spake, and his hand, no doubt, gladly 
fell, and Isaac was saved ! how bright 
his gold then shone, and how joyful was then 
made his obedient, faithful heart. 

Reader are you perfectly willing to give up 
your Isaac ? to cut off and cast away that which 
may be as dear to you as a right hand, or a 
right eye, should God require it? Do you im- 
plicitly obey the voice and will of Abraham's 
God ? When Christ says, "JBe not conformed 
20 



224 



to the world" its spirit, its customs, fashions, 
&c, do you promptly and faithfully obey? 
When the Lord Jesus says, "Lay not up for 
yourself treasure upon earth." Would you 
rather die than violate His sacred word ? When 
that plain command is read in the judgment 
day, "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, 
call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither 
thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors, lest they 
also bid thee again, and recompense be made 
thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the 
poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind," &c, 
will you be prepared to meet it with joy and 
confidence, saying "Lord it was done as thou 
commandest?" Let God's commands be more 
dear than life. 

The three Hebrew children had their gold 
literally tried in the fire, because they would 
not bow down nor worship Nebuchednezzar's 
golden image. Their gold — their faith was 
perfectly pure. Are we sure that we do not 
bow to the God of this world ? Do we honor 
and respect the poor man, as we do the rich 
and honorable of this world ? If we are not 
perfectly impartial, James says, we commit sin. 
Do we not feel conscious, that we would rather 



225 



be independent and respected with our divine 
Master to be poor and despised, and doomed to 
bear the frowns and contumely of an ungodly 
world ? how many bow to the God of this 
world, not knowing what they do ! 

Once more. When Job's extensive posses- 
sions were swept away from him, he bowed his 
head in submission and said,— "The Lord gave, 
and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be 
the name of the Lord." Would our gold stand 
this ordeal, and suffer no more loss than did 
Job's faith and patience? If all our goods 
were destroyed by wicked men, could we pa- 
tiently submit and praise God for the trial of 
our faith ? As no man can know himself until 
he is tried, may we be more than willing, and 
wisely consent to have our gold tried in the fire, 
that we may be indeed spiritually and eternally 
rich. 

Secondly. "And white raiment, that thou 
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy 
nakedness do not appear." 

White is an emblem of innocence and purity. 
Speaking of the Bride, the Lamb's wife, John 
says, "and to her was granted that she should 
be arrayed in fine linen, clean* and white: for 



226 



the fine linen, is the righteousness of the saints." 
Rev. xix, 18. By the expression "white rai- 
ment"— "holiness of heart" is no doubt meant. 
Without this garment, we are as naked and as of- 
fensive in the sight of God, as our bodies would 
be in the eyes of man without covering. 

This robe is called by our Saviour the wed- 
ding-garment, without which we could not be 
admitted to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 
"Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." 
Heaven, with all its joys, would be more intol- 
erable to an unholy saint than hell. If, there- 
fore, holiness be a necessary qualification to an 
entrance into heaven, and we may die the next 
hour, no reasonable being can be excusable for 
living carelessly one hour without this blessing. 

Holiness of heart embraces the image of God, 
which is love, and the Spirit of Christ, who, when 
He was reviled, reviled not again, and with His 
expiring breath prayed for his murderers. God's 
word expressly assures us that if any man have 
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. There 
was no impatience, nor resentment, nor unkind- 
ness found on Christ's spotless soul; and John 
says, "as He (Christ) is, so are we in this world— 
and he that hath this hope in him purifieth him- 



227 



self even as he is pure." Nothing can be more 
rational, desirable, and delightful than pure love ; 
it sweetens every bitter cup in life ; it smooths 
all the rough paths of our fallen nature, and ex- 
hibits a pleasing emblem of heaven in the soul. 

It may be well here to make an important 
inquiry, Do we honestly desire to possess this 
pearl of great price ? If so, our gold well tried 
in the fire, will enable us to secure it now. 
When we approach a throne of grace with a 
bleeding, broken heart, and weeping eyes, evinc- 
ing unequivocally that we do hunger and thirst 
after righteousness, then, and not till then, will 
the pearl be ours; then will our pure gold, 
unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, se- 
cure that white garment. "To him that believ- 
eth all things are possible." There is, however, 
a very great resemblance between a well exe- 
cuted counterfeit and one of genuine character, 
yet there is an immeasurable distance between 
the two. We must, therefore, be careful to 
guard against a philosophical faith, beautifully 
described and placed on the "altar of consecra- 
tion," and that evangelical saving faith which 
Paul calls believing with a heart unto righte- 
ousness. 

20* 



228 



Could I give the honest inquirer after this 
great salvation, a practical idea of the exercise 
of genuine faith, I would point him to the patri- 
arch wrestling all night with the angel of the 
covenant— with Almighty God ; and when the 
angel said, "let me go for the day breaketh," he 
cried out in the strong language of unwavering 
faith, "X will not let thee go except thou bless 
me." He had power with God, and with man, 
and' prevailed. Gold thus tried in the fire will 
never fail to secure that white garment of infi- 
nite value, purity— holiness of heart Saul of 
Tarsus fasted and prayed for the space of three 
days and nights before he gained the important 
object. He overcame; he prevailed; he kept 
the faith even unto death, and received a crown 
of eternal life, as his exceeding great reward. 

As a white robe is more easily soiled than 
one of any other color, we must be very careful 
and diligent by watching unto prayer always, 
lest after we have received through faith in 
Christ, that beautiful and costly garment, we 
should suffer it to be torn by the assaults of 
Satan, or soiled by the touch of a corrupt world. 
Our Saviour's salutary caution must be con- 
stantly attended to, "watch and pray lest ye 
enter into temptation/' 



229 



The seductions of an alluring world, softened 
and enforced by the artful devices of Satan, are 
so numerous and powerful that it will require 
more than mortal power to save us from their 
fatal influence. It is well, however, that our 
sufficiency is not of ourselves— Christ's grace is 
sufficient for us; let us, therefore, wisely look 
for, and expect divine aid every moment. 

Sin in any modification is exceedingly offen- 
sive to God, but when it is indulged in by his 
professed followers, it becomes most hateful in 
His sight. We should, therefore, dread sin, 
more than the sting of the poisonous adder, or 
even the darts of death. The eye is a very sen- 
sitive and glorious member of the body ; but the 
immortal soul, made in the image of God, should 
possess a greater degree of sensibility than even 
the eye. Hence we should feel more acutely 
the influence of sin — or an idle word or an im- 
pure or an unholy thought, than the eye could 
experience from a wound made by the point of 
a needle thrust into its most tender membrane, 

"Quick as the apple of an eye, 
God my conscience make I" 

Satan may, and no doubt will tempt every 
child of God while he remains in a probation- 



230 



ary state, and by reason of our infirmities, his 
temptations may be difficult to resist and over- 
come ; yet through the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and faith in his name, and by the exer- 
cise of constant and fervent prayer we may ward 
off all his fiery darts, and gain a decided and 
elevating victory in every conflict. "God is 
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted 
above that ye are able : but will with the temp- 
tation also make a way to escape, that ye may 
be able to bear it." Those temptations and spir- 
itual conflicts may be necessary, and rendered 
very important to every christian ; hence James 
says, "My brethren count it all joy when you 
fall into divers temptations ; knowing this, that 
the trying of your faith worketh patience, but 
let patience have her perfect work, that ye may 
be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Again, 
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; 
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of 
life, which the Lord hath promised to them that 
love him." James i, 2, 3, 4, and 12. We should, 
therefore, stand continually upon our watch 
tower, and the moment we feel an assault — the 
slightest emotion of evil — even one discontent- 
ed, or unkind feeling — an impure, or an unholy 



231 



thought, we should promptly fly for refuge and 
deliverance to a throne of grace, there we may 
obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of 
need ; nor should we rest one moment until par- 
don is secured, and the sweet peace and love of 
God flows again through our purified souls. 
The little child who cuts his finger, the moment 
he sees the blood, or feels the wound, runs to 
his mother with tears and loud cries to have it 
bound up. 

Were all christians to pursue this simple, but 
even course, it would have a most salutary ef- 
fect, and without controversy or difficulty ena- 
ble them to live above the atmosphere of doubt 
and fears — of strife and contention — they would 
dwell and travel in the land of Beulah where 
the sun never goes down. Then should they 
indeed be the light of a benighted world, and 
way-marks to the kingdom of glory. Then 
should their peace flow as a river, and their 
righteousness abound as the waves of the sea ; 
and God would condescend to dwell in their 
midst, and the whole earth would soon be brought 
under the benign influence of 'perfect love. 



CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE, THE GIFT 
OF GOD. 



"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear ; 
but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.— 2 Tur. 
ii 3 7. 

Not only are the general principles of Chris- 
tianity clearly defined in the Bible, but every 
landmark is particularly identified, so that he 
who runs may read, understand, and be saved. 
Man in his fallen state, is poor, and ignorant, 
and defiled; he must, therefore, necessarily be 
dependent upon the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ for all the good which he enjoys — con- 
sequently it behooves us to act with the great- 
est precaution and circumspection in the all-im- 
portant work of our soul's salvation. Christ ad- 
monishes us to watch and pray, lest we enter 
into temptation. A wise and prudent daugh- 
ter fears, and refuses to receive favors from the 
hand of a stranger, even complimentary lan- 
guage ; she turns disgusted from its unhallowed 
influence. But from her father, she confidently 
and gratefully receives favors, counsel, and 



233 



even admonition, and never fails to be honored 
and comforted by an implicit reliance upon her 
father's judgment, and submission to his will. 
So it should be with the child of God. 

Our text clearly specifies what our Heavenly 
Father has, and what He has not given His 
children. 

I. — Grod our Heavenly Father has not given 
us the spirit of Fear. 

Cowardly, servile, guilty fear never fails to 
degrade, disgrace and ruin all those who live 
under its unhallowed influence. We have not 
received this spirit from God — "an enemy hath 
done it" 

We have not, therefore, received from God, 
1. The fear of man.— Solomon says, "The 
fear of man bringeth a snare," and one greater 
than Solomon has said — "Fear not them which 
kill the body," &c. The child of God fears no 
man ; he speaks as plainly to the king as he 
does to the beggar. The respecter of persons 
is virtually guilty of a violation of God's holy 
law, and must be damned. "By faithfully re- 
proving the king, John the Baptist lost his 
head;" but he thereby gained a martyr's 
crown — a most glorious exchange ! 



234 



While the christian fears God, and keeps 
Him always before his eyes, acting in all things, 
and speaking every word to please the Lord 
Jesus Christ, he fears no man, but speaks and 
acts in the presence of the rich, the wise, the 
learned with perfect ease and independence, 
warning every man, and teaching every man. 
Though a christian would not improperly offend, 
or wound the feelings of the beggar or the slave, 
he never shrinks from responsibility, fearing 
the displeasure of any man. 

He fears not the persecuting tongue — for he 
thereby gains a great reward. His divine 
Master has said — "Blessed are ye when men 
shall hate you, and when they shall separate 
you from their company, and shall reproach 
you, and cast out your name as evil, for the 
Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, 
and leap for joy; for behold your reward is 
great in heaven." Luke vi, 22, 23. The child 
of God rejoices to be evil entreated, because his 
reward will be great in heaven. He, therefore, 
bears the cross of Christ fearlessly and uni- 
formly, treading every moment in the steps of 
his crucified Saviour. He desires in all things, 
internally and externally, to be like the Lord 



235 



Jesus, therefore, he dreads to look like the 
children of this world, knowing that whosoever 
will be the friend of the world, is the enemy 
of God. 

2. The fear of contingencies.— I. Adversity. 
Christ was poor, and Lazarus was poor. He 
knows, also, that God has chosen the poor of 
this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the king- 
dom which He has promised to them that love 
Him. He hears the sound of God's voice, de- 
nouncing the rich,— "Woe unto you that are 
rich." If, therefore, he has any choice, as it 
regards the condition in life he is to fill, he 
prefers poverty to riches, choosing poverty; 
rather to suffer afflictions with the people of 
God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a 
season. He fears not poverty, therefore, he 
can meet his Redeemer's injunction with joy— 
"I say unto you take no thought" {no anxious 
care) "for the morrow." The child of God is 
well assured that the way of indulgence leads 
to death and ruin, and the way of self denial, 
to life and glory, he is, therefore, careful to 
deny his fallen propensities every day ; ^ like 
Paul he keeps his body under, and brings it in- 
to subjection; then he is oft in fasting. 2. 
21 



236 



Affliction. David says, "It was good for me 
that I was afflicted.'' Of one greater than 
David it is said, He was made perfect through 
suffering; and Jesus says, they that suffer with 
me shall also reign with me. Affliction is fre- 
quently the ordeal— the furnace in which God 
purifies our gold, consequently the children of 
God can rejoice while passing through the fiery 
furnace, knowing that those light afflictions 
which are for a moment, worketh for them a 
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 
They can confidently and submissively exclaim, 
with afflicted Job, "Though He slay me, yet 
will I trust in Him/' The children of God ex- 
pect soon to join that victorious company, of 
whom it will be said, "These are they that have 
come out of great tribulation/— therefore they 
do not fear affliction. 3. Death. Death is the 
gate to endless joys, nor do we dread to enter 
there. "The sting of death is sin ; and the 
strength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to 
God who giveth us the victory through our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 5 ' 

We now proceed to examine, 

Et.— The blessings which our Heavenly Fath- 
er graciously imparts to all His children. 

God our Heavenly Father, has given us, 



237 



1. Power. — Faith now supplies the power 
which man lost in the fall. Though none but 
an omnipotent Being could redeem man from 
the iron grasp of a violated law, and impart un- 
to him eternal life ; yet this power is attributed 
to faith — Christ said to the diseased woman, 
"Thy faith hath made thee whole." Though 
Christ alone is the christian's foundation — the 
author and finisher of our redemption — yet is 
faith uniformly considered as the instrumental 
cause of our salvation. "If ye have faith as a 
grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this 
mountain, remove to yonder place, and it shall 
remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto 
you." Matt, xvii, 20. Faith gives us power 
with Grod. Jacob, after wrestling all night with 
the angel of the covenant, cried out in the en- 
ergetic language of faith — "I will not let thee 
go until thou bless me." The angel replied, 
"As a prince hast thou power with Grod, and 
with men, and hast prevailed." It is true, 
christians are compared to little children, yet 
has the helpless infant, power to control the pa- 
rent at any time, the piteous cry of the babe 
will call to its relief the parent's hand of sym- 
pathy and affection at the midnight hour. 



238 



Thus, when the helpless child of God cries to 
his heavenly father for aid, the Lord Jesus is 
touched with the feeling of his infirmities, which 
moves the hands, which made the world, and calls 
the mighty God of Jacob to his instant and un- 
limited relief. "Ask and ye shall receive" 

God's children under the law, the faithful 
Israelites, exercised extraordinary power, and 
thereby honored their Maker, and confounded 
the heathen world. Paul in adverting to the 
character of those worthies, remarked — "And 
what more shall I say ? for the time would fail 
me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of 
Sampson and of Jepthae, and of David, also, 
and of Samuel, and of the prophets ; who 
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought right- 
eousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths 
of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped 
the edge of the sword, out of weakness were 
made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to 
flight the armies of the aliens. Women received 
their dead raised to life again ; and others 
were tortured, 1 not accepting deliverance, that 
they might obtain a better resurrection.' 7 Heb. 
xi, 32 — 35. If God gave his faithful servants 
who lived in the legal dispensation, extraordi- 



nary and honorable power, will He refuse to 
grant His children under the benign influence 
of the gospel, equal or even greater power ? The 
Apostle says, "For if that which was done 
away was glorious, much more that which re- 
maineth is glorious. " 2 Cor. iii, 2. Whether, 
therefore, we claim it, or not, it is the christian's 
prerogative to possess poiver with God. "To him 
that believeth, all things are possible." 

1. Poiver over the devil — "Resist the devil 
and he will flee from thee." Satan is now a 
conquered enemy, and can exert no positive 
power over the children of God, since Christ 
has redeemed them and taken them from under 
the curse of the law, and placed them under the 
benign influence of grace. The devil can now 
only exert his power through the medium of de- 
ception and temptation. Hence our Saviour's 
salutary injunction, "Watch and pray, lest ye 
enter into temptation." Paul says, "We are 
not ignorant of his devices." While the chris- 
tian walks in the light, watching over every ri- 
sing desire of his heart, and carefully avoids 
the wide way — the way of self indulgence, and 
walks diligently in the King's highway of Ao- 
liness, looking momentarily unto Jesus for 
21* 



240 



grace and wisdom to guide and direct all his 
steps, he will walk securely, and have power 
over the devil. 

3. Power over the world.— Satan now uses 
this world as a snare to allure and destroy im- 
mortal souls. He spread his net for our Sa- 
viour's feet, when he presented to his view all 
the kingdoms of this world, and said, "All this 
power will I give thee, and the glory of them ; 
for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoev- 
er I will, I give it. If thou, therefore, will 
worship me, all shall be thine." And the srrand 
adversary of God and man, still uses the same 
bait, to allure and deceive poor mortals; but 
the children of God meet his wily suggestions 
as did the Lord Jesus — "get thee behind me 
Satan." The most feeble child of God, spurns 
from his presence all the glories of this world- 
all its beautiful objects — rich and delicious food' 
—together with its honors and titles of distinc- 
tion. Hence, he will not consent to be called 
Rabbi, Rabbi ; no, nor Rev. — Right Rev., much 
less D. D. He neither seeks nor desires the hon- 
or of men, but the honor which cometh from God 
only. He is, therefore, as willing to be hissed 
at as to be applauded. He daily bears the 



241 



cross of Christ, and triumphantly exclaims with 
the Apostle to the Gentiles — "God forbid that 
I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified 
unto me, and I unto the world. 55 

4. Power over self. — Self is perhaps the most 
potent enemy we shall have to meet on the 
christian's battle ground. It imperceptibly in- 
tertwines itself into all our actions, words, de- 
sires and motives. If we, however, honestly 
unmask this enemy and exhibit him in his true 
colors, he wears a most despicable visage. A 
selfish father who disregards the wants and 
comforts of his children, if his own comforts are 
supplied, would be held up to universal con- 
tempt. A selfish husband would be still more 
despicable ; while the noble and disinterested 
man, who would risk, or even lose his life, to 
save or benefit his fellow mortal, would be uni- 
versally esteemed and admired. 

The dark principle of selfishness, if it exists 
in its mildest forms in our heart, will appear far 
more despicable in the day of eternity, when 
the secrets of all hearts shall be made known, 
than it does here when viewed in its most de- 
formed features. Hence, the importance that 



242 



self should be crucified. The idol self must be 
slain; therefore, every prudent child of God, ele- 
vates Christ and sinks himself. He dreads the 
smiles, and applause of men, and feels willing, 
with Paul, to be counted as the filth and off- 
scouring of the world, rather than have his 
name honored by the admiring breath of dying 
mortals. The child of God has power over self. 

2. Love. — Pure undefiled love. The child of 
God bears his ^ Heavenly .^Father's image, viz. 
love — he loves with sincere sympathy, and ar- 
dent affection, his greatest enemy. He never 
reviles, however much he may be reviled and 
injured, but like his Lord and Master, he prays 
for his worst enemies. He knows that Christ's 
spirit is a spirit of pure love, and if he does not 
possess Christ's spirit, or striving hard by fast- 
ing and prayer to gain it, he is neither a child 
nor a servant of Christ. When the christian's 
heart is filled with love, it excludes every unholy 
principle ; no envy, no resentment, no emula- 
tion, no unkind or sour feeling can commingle 
with the pure, sweet stream of love. The same 
fountain does not afford fresh, and occasionally 
salt water ; neither can the fig tree bear olive ber- 
ries. God the Father, therefore, gives all his 



243 



children a spirit of pure love — the pure Spirit 
of Jesus Christ, which assimilates them to 
God, and alone can qualify them for heaven. 

8. A sound mind. — God, not only gives all 
his children, power and love, but wisdom. This 
precious jewel, more valuable by far than fine 
gold, our Heavenly Father gives to all his chil- 
dren freely. "If any of you lack wisdom, let 
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 
and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given him." 
James i, 5. 

Here, however, we must be very cautious that 
we do not receive counterfeit coin. Paul says, 
"the wisdom of the world is foolishness with 
God." We must be careful in the examination 
of this precious treasure, the fine gold of the 
sanctuary, that it is not mixed with alloy. 
There is a most striking resemblance between 
a well executed counterfeit and a genuine bank 
note, yet are they as dissimilar as day and night, 
as virtue and vice. No two things on earth, are 
in reality more unlike each other, and yet fre- 
quently the most experienced judge is unable to 
detect the fraud. The inspired writer, how- 
ever, has given us a plain description of the spu- 
rious, and of the genuine coin, by which we may 



244 



be enabled to judge correctly, and avoid decep- 
tion. "Who is a wise man and endued with knowl- 
edge among you? let him show out of a good 
conversation his works with meekness and wis- 
dom. But if ye have envying and strife in your 
hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. 
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is 
earthly, sensual and devilish. For where envy- 
ing and strife is, there is confusion and every 
evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, 
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to 
be^ entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, 
without partiality and hypocrisy." James iii, 
IS — IT. We learn from the above rule that 
where there is bitter envying and strife, the 
gold is not genuine. Those dark traits are 
too often seen in modern days, in the several 
branches of Christ's church ; do they not place 
the mark of reprobation on every heart where 
they are found to exist ? When we seek for 
happiness in any earthly object, such as gold, 
silver, property, food and raiment, &c, we be- 
come irrational and sensual, and are thus im- 
perceptibly transferred into the image of the 
devil, the very essence of whose character is de- 
ception. Those dark traits of character are 



245 



further developed by a desire to occupy the 
highest seats in the synagogue, and to be called 
of men Rabbi, Rabbi, desiring to be something 
when they are nothing ; thus not only deceiving 
others, but their own souls — deceiving and be- 
ing deceived. But the wisdom which character- 
izes the children of God, and cometh from above, 
is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, 
full of mercy and good f ruits, without partiality, 
and without hypocrisy. The christian consid- 
ers every human being as his Father's child, 
and treats the poor beggar (of moral character) 
with as much respect and affection, as he feels 
for the more wealthy and honorable members of 
society. If he becomes a respecter of persons, 
he violates God's holy law of love, and must be 
excluded from heaven. The child of God is also 
free from hypocrisy. While he is poor, he does 
not assume the appearance of the rich man, but 
dresses, and strives to appear to others just 
what he is — as willing that every beholder should 
see his heart, as his face. How striking the con- 
trast between the wisdom of this world, and that 
which cometh from God ; and how pleasing and 
encouraging the reflection, that true wisdom 
though indescribably lovely and desirable, and 



246 



placed above price, is by our Heavenly Father 
given freely to all His children without money 
and without price. This is the wedding gar- 
ment, the robe in which the redeemed will ap- 
pear at the marriage of the Lamb. God's chil- 
dren have "a sound mind." 



CHRISTIAN WARFARE. 



For the weapons of our tear/are are not carnal, 
but mighty through God, to the pulling down of 
strongholds. 2 Cor. x, 4. 

We find ourselves placed in a world of con- 
flict, and of danger, surrounded by a mighty 
host of enemies. Good and evil — virtue and 
vice, are irreconcilable enemies. If we secure 
any earthly good, we have to fight for it. It re- 
quires labor, and care, and diligence to gain the 
necessary comforts of food and raiment; to in- 
sure success, we have to wage war with animate 
and inanimate nature. After we have toiled to 
prepare the ground, and have deposited the 
seed therein, both wild and domestic animals 
will array themselves in hostility against the 
labor of our hands ; hence we have to close the 
ground to guard against their incursions— the 
birds of the air, the crawling reptiles of the 
earth will endeavor to destroy the good seed. 
Thus every article of real value which grows 
out of the earth, is surrounded bv enemies, 
22 . * 



248 



while the weeds and briars grow spontaneously 
without care or culture ! Not only has the 
earth been cursed on account of man's sin, but 
the atmosphere is full of deadly poison. The 
human heart in a very especial manner is ex- 
posed to the assaults of deadly foes. The devil 
goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom 
he may devour ; he also assumes the form of a 
serpent, and transforms himself into the appear- 
ance of an angel of light, the more effectually 
to destroy poor, frail mortals. And further, to 
increase our danger and call forth our energies 
in life's conflict, we have to meet and conquer 
enemies in our own bosom — our degenerate 
heart. Our passions and our appetites are our 
deadly foes. Indulge children in all their de- 
sires, and they will be invariably and inevitably 
ruined — men are but children of a larger growth. 
Thus in our present fallen condition, we must 
fight or fall— conquer or be ruined forever. 
There can be no neutrals in this war. There* 
fore in the improvement of our present subject, 
we will, 

1. Advert to the character of our in- 
veterate ENEMY, (THE DEVIL,) AND EXPOSE 
TO VIEW A FEW OF HIS "STRONGHOLDS." 



249 



1. His character. — He is an active, restless 
foe — he goeth about like a roaring lion. A 
malicious enemy, hence he is called Satan. An 
artful, deceptious foe, his strength now lieth in 
his cunning — his artifice — his deceptions. Paul 
says, we are not ignorant of his devices. It 
will, therefore, be necessary that we have not 
only the wisdom that cometh from above, but 
divine power also to enable us to meet and con- 
quer this artful, insidious enemy. 

2. His strongholds. — As the devil has been 
foiled and conquered by the Lord Jesus Christ, 
his hope of success now depends not only on 
his devices, but he erects entrenchments and 
fortifications to aid him in his work of destruc- 
tion. On the present occasion we will only no- 
tice three of his strongholds, viz. Infidelity — 
Pride — Love of the World. • 

First stronghold — Infidelity.-— The devil 
can now gain very little by an avowal of open 
infidelity. Learned and pious men of God, by 
writing and preaching, have well nigh demol- 
ished this stronghold of Satan ; there are now 
very few open and avowed infidels — their theo- 
ry will not bear the light. 

This artful seducer however, has covertly 



250 



gathered up the fragments of this favorite for- 
tification, and while by his crafty devices, he 
denounces infidelity, and even his open friends 
are unwilling to appear entrenched within its 
tottering walls, he transposes the name, and 
enters the church, where he carries on his work 
of ruin and infidelity under cover of Christianity. 
Hence, upon a close examination, it will be found 
that many professors of religion, both in the 
ministry and the membership, are only specious 
infidels ! Alas— what a multitude of professing 
christians are living at ease in Zion — are slum- 
bering in a lukewarm state ; nor do they believe 
Christ's solemn declaration, when He says, He 
will spew them out of his mouth. All those 
who are living carelessly — viz. without fasting, 
and diligent, persevering prayer, that they 
may be purified and made holy now, not to-mor- 
row, do not believe that sin is hateful to God, 
and must exclude us from heaven. Again, there 
are many professors who do not really believe 
in the existence of the attributes of God — 1st. 
His omnipresence— "Do not I fill heaven and 
earth, saith the Lord Almighty." But who 
really believes it ? No man that says, or does 
any thing which he would not say or do, if the 



251 



Lord Jesus were personally present. But who, 
may we not ask, uniformly observes this rule ? 
2nd. God's omniscience. Who really and con- 
sistently believes in the existence of this attri- 
bute ? No man who wishes to conceal from man, 
his actions, thoughts, motives, and desires. 
Surely if he is ashamed of those secret things 
before men, he should feel infinitely more 
ashamed to disclose them to the view of a pure 
and holy God. May we not find infidels ? viz. 
unbelievers in the bosom of the church. Again 
there are many who would feel insulted were 
you to call them infidels or unbelievers, and yet 
they do not believe God's holy word ! 

If there is one declaration in the holy bible 
which I do not believe, I may as well disbelieve 
every word written therein. The word of God 
says— this night thy soul may be required of 
thee, and without holiness no man can see the 
Lord ; if therefore, I am not in possession of 
that pearl of great price, or striving with all 
my ransomed powers to secure it, I either do not 
believe God's word, or I place a very low esti- 
mate upon the value of my soul. In God's 
word it is written — "But the day of the Lord 
will come as a thief in the night ; in the which 
22* 



252 



the heavens will pass away with a great noise, 
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, 
the earth also and the works that are therein 
shall be burned up." 2 Peter iii, 10. That 
awful day will come as a thief in the night — in 
an unexpected hour. Do we believe this sol- 
emn declaration ? All of us who are living un- 
prepared to die, viz. in an unholy, an unsancti- 
fied state, without making every exertion in 
our power to realize a pure heart, do not really 
believe it. To prove this fact, let us suppose a 
case — a stranger informs us that an incendiary 
will burn down our house one night next week, 
he heard the plan arranged for doing this dread- 
ful deed ; would we during that week retire to 
bed without making a judicious preparation to 
guard against the impending calamity ? We feel 
conscious that we would not ; and yet when Al- 
mighty God speaks, and unequivocally declares 
that He may burn up the world this night, and 
under those solemn circumstances, we retire to 
our slumbering bed with an entire indifference, 
conscious that we are not prepared to meet our 
God. Now if we regard the word of man, more 
than the word of God, can we meet the Judge 
of all the earth with joy ? We believed our 



253 



neighbor, and we promptly acted, God speaks, 
and we disregard His word. Are we not there- 
fore virtually unbelievers — infidels ? This spe- 
cies of infidelity forms a favored position, a 
stronghold for the devil. 

2. Pride. The pride of the heart, forms a 
most pleasing lurking place for Satan. God 
hates a proud look, and he that exalteth him- 
self shall be abased. In the arms of our infidel- 
ity Satan feels himself secure, for God has said, 
"he that believeth not shall be damned," but 
the devil revels and takes peculiar delight in the 
heart where pride is countenanced. A proud 
beggar would be truly a contemptible character; 
and the devil knows we are all beggars, depend- 
ent on God for every drop of water, and every 
crumb of bread. A poor culprit condemned to 
be executed to-morrow and inflated with pride, 
would present a most despicable sight in the 
eyes of reflecting men. All mankind are con- 
demned to die, and may meet their solemn doom 
the next moment. As pride in its nature is 
unnatural, unreasonable, hateful to God, and 
destructive to human happiness, it behooves us 
to examine our hearts with great care, and can- 
dor, lest a particle of this soul-degrading, God- 



254 



dishonoring principle in which Satan delights, 
should be found to exist within. A desire to 
be seen and admired of men, is unequivocal 
proof of the existence of this evil in the heart. 
Can anything but pride influence a dying, con- 
demned mortal to wear fine and costly apparel, 
or build elegant and expensive houses, and fur- 
nish them with costly furniture only to be seen 
and ^admired? It is, however, frequently as- 
serted that we may be as proud when dressed in 
osnaburgs, as in broadcloth. While the possi- 
bility of this supposition is admitted, the sub- 
ject involved in the case is of too much impor- 
tance (even the loss of the soul) to pass over the 
argument carelessly. We must appeal to higher 
authority than poor, erring men ; we must 
hear what Almighty God says in regard to this 
important subject : 

When Ahab laid aside his royal robes, and 
put on sackcloth (a coarse hairy garment) and 
fasted, the Lord beheld it, and said to Elijah : 
"Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before 
me, I will not bring this evil in his days." 
Our Saviour's words are in perfect accordance 
with the above declaration. "Woe unto thee, 
Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Bethsaida ! for if the 



255 



mighty works which were done in you, had been 
done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have re- 
pented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Matt, 
xi, 21. 

When Almighty God expressly declared that 
sackcloth, a coarse, hairy garment, worn by a 
man, was a mark of humility, will mortal men 
say, that to wear gay and costly apparel is no 
evidence of pride in the heart ! Let God be 
true, though every mortal man be found guilty 
of falsehood. Therefore, prudence and common 
sense dictates to us that we should imitate the 
conduct of Ahab, and also of the Ninevites, by 
laying aside every mark of wealth and show in 
our houses, our furniture, and our apparel, es- 
pecially as our blessed Redeemer laid aside his 
exalted glory, and bore the cross, and despised 
the shame, being born in a stable, and having 
marked the pathway to heaven, in and through 
the deep valley of humility and self-denial ! 
let us imitate the example of our Lord J esus Christ 
in this great conflict. May we, like our Lord 
and Master, be clothed with the beautiful gar- 
ment of genuine humility, and thus drive Satan 
from his favorite haunt of pride in our heart. 

3dly. Love of the World. — When the 



256 



devil has been driven from his haunts of infi- 
delity and pride, he retires, as his last subter- 
fuge, into the stronghold of the love of the world, 
Here he generally makes his most powerful and 
and successful attacks upon the heart of man. 
Satan well knows that the love of the world, is 
the darkest crime a human being can be guilty 
of — the most malignant and fatal disease to 
which^ he is exposed in this unhealthy clime. 
It was the only disease the Great Physician 
failed to cure when he was on earth. When 
the rich young man was directed by the Lord 
Jesus to sell all his possessions and give the pro- 
ceeds to the poor, he went away sorrowful, for he 
had great possessions. how powerfully and 
successfully did the devil fight for this impregna- 
ble fortress erected in this amiable young man's 
heart ! And to the present day this strong- 
hold is Satan's favorite rendezvous. 

Let us therefore examine this point with care 
and candor. Were we called on to sell all our 
earthly possessions, and give the proceeds to 
the poor, could we promptly and cheerfully 
comply with the requisition ? Or would we not 
rather go away, like the rich young man, from 
Christ, with a sorrowful heart ? If so, would it 



257 



not afford proof positive that we love the 
world, and thereby afford the devil a most de- 
sirable stronghold in our heart. 

Again, were we only tried as was the old 
patriarch, who lived in a very dark age of the 
world, could we meet the trial and triumph as 
did Job ? When all his large possessions were 
swept away, he bowed in submission and praised 
the Lord ! Satan well knows that if we love 
the world, its money, its property, its honors, 
its gratifications, more or less, we cannot love 
God, and must be banished forever from His 
presence, and the glory of His power. There 
are many who deceive their own souls by say- 
ing — "I love God better than I love the world." 
Were the wife to use this specious argument 
and comfort her husband, by assuring him she 
loves him better than the other favorite, it would 
be mockery ; and yet many who pass for good 
Christians, will cast this dark reproach upon 
the Saviour, and wipe their lips and say, "I 
have done no wrong," Others console their 
own hearts by saying, "It is true I am not yet 
sanctified wholly, I still feel the remains of the 
carnal mind, but I intend and expect to secure 
the wedding garment, viz. pure love before I 



258 



die." Was the wife to adopt this language, 
and comfort her husband by assuring him that 
it was her sincere desire and intention to love 
him perfectly before she died, when she be- 
came old and wrinkled, it would be an insult 
which human language cannot describe, and yet 
professing Christians will carelessly assume this 
ruinous position in regard to the Holy One of 
Israel, and sit down contentedly and smoke and 
laugh and jest, and murder their precious mo- 
ments, which should be spent in fasting and 
prayer. Hence the love of the world may be 
considered Satan's most favorite lurking place, 
his principal stronghold, the last from which 
he will be driven. 

Having briefly and imperfectly examined 
some of the devil's strongholds, proceed we, 

_ Secondly— To notice the nature of the con- 
flict, and the means through which we may gain 
a triumphant victory. 

1. The nature of the conflict. It is a spirit- 
ual warfare, hence the weapons of our warfare 
are not carnal, &c. It is a good cause ; "Fight 
the good fight of faith." It is an incessant con- 
flict. If we are only one minute off our guard, 
the insidious enemy will take advantage of that 



259 



careless moment to inflict a deadly wound. It 
is an important battle, if we are conquered, 
eternal ruin must ensue, including shame and 
ceaseless misery. "These shall go away into 
everlasting punishment— Who shall be punished 
with everlasting destruction from the presence 
of the Lord and from the glory of his power " 
Matt, xxv, 46; 2 Thess. i, 9. If we are cou- 
rageous and gain the victory— eternal life shall 
be our great reward, including an inheritance, 
incorruptible, and undefiled, that fadeth not 
away. A home— a house not made with hands 
eternal in the heavens, and to crown the vie- 
tor's head, a glorious crown of life shall be given. 
It is enough— it is an important conflict in which 
we are engaged. 

2. The preparation for battle— the Chris- 
tian armor. "The weapons op our war- 
pare." 

^ The ancients used both offensive and defen- 
sive armor, and as our foes are numerous, insid- 
ious and malignant, and we shall have to fight 
at every step through life, for liberty, and°all 
our gospel privileges, it will be important and 
necessary that we put on the whole armor of 
God. As cowardice invariably marks the sol- 
23 



260 



dier's character with shame and disgrace, all 
slavish fear must be laid aside. 

The apostle to the Gentiles, has given us a 
full description of the Christian soldier's armor. 
Eph. vi, 13—18. (1.) "Stand, therefore, hav- 
ing your loins girt about with the truth." 
God's word is truth. The girdle for our loins 
must be composed of scripture doctrine. If our 
doctrine is defective or not true, when the dis- 
covery is made, it will weaken our loins, and 
cause our knees to smite together. It behooves 
us, therefore, to receive and preach that doctrine 
which will stand on the judgment day, viz. the 
proper divinity of Jesus Christ, that by his 
death, he made an atonement for us— that by 
repentance and faith, only, we may receive par- 
don, regeneration, and sanctification ; and that 
through faith in Jesus Christ, we may live holy, 
righteous and godly lives on earth, and enjoy 
eternal life in heaven. He that believeth shall 
be saved, and he that believeth not shall be 
damned." 

2d. The breastplate of righteousness. 
Nothing but this breastplate can protect our 
vital parts from the assaults of our enemies. 
Our hearts must be made perfect, and right, and 



261 



pure, and good, by the mighty power of that 
God who has done all things well, whose signa- 
ture is purity and perfection. We must keep 
this important piece of armor bright by faith 
and prayer. May our righteousness never be- 
come dim or rusty. 

3d. Your feet shod with the prepara- 
tion of the gospel of peace." We must ex- 
pect to meet with briers and thorns in our path- 
way to heaven. We shall be assailed frequently 
by persecution and sore temptation, piercing 
our feet most painfully. Our feet, therefore, 
must be shod with peace. A pure spirit of 
peace and love in connection with a pure heart, 
will enable us to trample all the briers and thorns 
beneath our feet, not only those which proceed 
from the mouth of bitter and enraged men, but 
also devils. God will shortly bruise Satan under 
your feet. Let us, therefore, put on the gospel 
shoes of peace — peace and love. 

4th. "The shield of faith." A defensive 
piece of armor used by the ancients, sometimes 
made of metal, but more frequently of tanned 
hides that were anointed with oil, in order to 
render them smooth, compact and firm. Faith 
is the Christian soldier's shield, which if dexter- 



262 



ously managed, will successfully ward off all the 
fiery darts of the wicked one. Infidelity — un- 
belief constitutes Satan's most successful strong- 
hold, but faith, strong faith, demolishes that for- 
tification at a blow, and leaves the enemy ex- 
posed to the triumphant assaults of humble, fer- 
vent prayer. All things are possible to him 
that believeth. We should, therefore, alwavs 
keep the shield of faith in active exercise. The 
Christian is never safe, no not for one moment, 
without the shield of faith. Paul says, "For 
we walk by faith, not by sight." So that every 
step through life should be regulated by the rule 
of faith. "Whatever is not of faith is sin," so 
that whatever we do or say, should be done and 
said to the glory of God. 

5th. "The helmet of salvation." God is 
my salvation, therefore, I will not fear what 
men can do unto me. The saving power, and 
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ should al- 
ways rest upon the Christian soldier's head; 
add to this, "the sword oe the spirit," "which 
is the word of God." This is our two-edged 
sword, its promises foil our enemies, and crowns 
us with peace and safety ; its commands, denun- 
ciations, and inflexible justice, conquers and 



263 



slays every assailant. let us wield this sharp 
sword dexterously, and wisely, and certain vic- 
tory wil ensue. We must not fail, however, to 
accompany all our efforts with prayer, humble 
fervent prayer. It is not the soldier, but the 
Captain who gains the victory in all our bat- 
tles ; hence we must implore and secure the 
presence and aid of the Lord Jesus Christ in 
every conflict. In our prayers we must be care- 
ful to avoid formality, they must be accompanied 
with, and enforced by supplication in the Spirit. 
We must strive, fight, press our cause upon our 
knees, we must pray without ceasing. And yet 
farther, we must watch as well as pray, "Watch- 
ing thereunto with all perseverance." We must 
watch every motion of the enemy, either from 
without or from within, watch diligently every 
thought, every word, every desire, every motive 
and every action. 

By a judicious application of the Christian 
armor, we shall learn that the weapons of our 
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through 
God, to the pulling down of all Satan's strong- 
holds. Thus through the grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ ? we may gain and secure a glori- 
ous, a triumphant victory over all our enemies, 
23* 



264 



and enter through the gates triumphantly into 
the New Jerusalem, the Holy City of God, to go 
no more out forever, where we shall lay the 
weapons of our welfare by, where eternal peace 
shall be proclaimed to all Christ's faithful, val- 
iant soldiers. Amen. 



WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH 
SHALL HE FIND FAITH ON 
THE EARTH. 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh shall 
He find faith on the earth" — Luke xviii, 8. 

The evidence that there is a God, and that 
He hears the cry of His dependent children on 
earth, and supplies all their wants, is as conclu- 
sive to the eye of faith, as the father's hand, or 
the judge's authority is seen, felt and realized 
daily in the different occurrences of life, by our 
physical senses ; yet our Saviour more than in- 
timates that when he comes again, he will not 
find faith on the earth. We presume He 
means strong, living, consistent faith. We 
will consider : 

First. — The supposed condition of the world 
when the Son of Man shall come ; viz. without 
living, strong, consistent faith. 

1. The 'power or life of faith. — Faith now 
supplies the strength which man lost in the fall. 
Under the legal economy, or Mosaic dispensa- 
tion, faith possessed almost an unlimited power. 



266 



Jacob by the strong arm of faith, held the an- 
gel, and would not let him go. Hence, the 
angel said, "For as a prince hast thou power 
with God, and with men, and hast prevailed." 
The Apostle in adverting to the character of a 
host of ancient worthies, says, "Who through 
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, 
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge 
of the sword; out of weakness were made 
strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight 
the armies of the aliens ; women received their 
dead bodies raised to life again," &c. Those 
mighty and miraculous deeds were performed 
by the exercise of faith in God, through the 
grace of a promised Messiah. Nor can we ra- 
tionally suppose that this divine principle would 
lose its power and efficacy under the sacred in- 
fluence of the gospel. In contrasting the legal 
and evangelical dispensations, the Apostle says, 
"For if the ministration of condemnation be 
glory, much more doth the ministration of 
righteousness exceed in glory." 2 Cor. iii, 9. 
Our Saviour in describing the faith of the gos- 
pel day, says, "For verily I say unto you, if ye 
have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall 



26T 



say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder 
place, and it shall remove ; and nothing shall 
be impossible unto you/' Matt, xvii, 20. Again, 
"If thou canst believe, all things are possible 
to him that believeth." Mark ix, 23. And 
when the Lord Jesus commissioned His disci- 
ples to go into all the world and preach the 
gospel, He added, "He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth 
not shall be damned." And as a security 
against Antinomian and Universalian corrup- 
tions, He guards the principle of saving faith 
by an important declaration, viz. "And these 
signs shall follow them that believe : in my 
name they shall cast out devils : they shall 
speak with new tongues ; they shall take up 
serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing, 
it shall not hurt them ; and they shall lay 
hands upon the sick, and they shall recover." 
Mark xvi, 17, 18. 

It is now believed, however, that this power 
was only imparted to the Apostles, and was ta- 
ken from the church soon after their day. Is 
there any scripture proof of this fact ? I know 
not one text that will prove it even by implica- 
tion. If those signs were only to attend and 



268 



confirm the preaching of the Apostles, why 
were they written in that holy book without 
any reserve, all of which we are bound to obey ? 
Those signs are inseparably connected with our 
commission. If we are sent to preach the gos- 
pel, we must receive our authority from Christ, 
and in Matthew's gospel, He adds these words, 
"And lo I am with you always, even unto the 
end of the world/' This gracious promise is 
not applicable to the Apostles exclusively, but 
unequivocally to His ministers in all ages, even 
to the end of the world; nor is there any inti- 
mation in God's word that the power of faith 
was ever to be taken from the church ; and yet 
it has ceased to be exercised; nay, it has been 
voluntarily and formally given up and excluded 
from every branch of the Protestant church ; 
and if it cannot now be found in the church, we 
presume it cannot be found on earth. It is 
said, however, that there is now no need for 
extraordinary faith, since the gospel has been 
established in the world. Even this apology I 
fear is very unsound, for to the present day, 
mare than one-half of the inhabitants of the 
earth, have not received the gospel, neither 
have they heard that Jesus Christ, the eternal 



269 



Son of God, is the only Saviour of our ruined 
race. If our missionaries possessed this power 
of faith, how different would be their success in 
heathen lands. 

Nor is it reasonable, nor would God deal im- 
partially with all men, were he to give irresisti- 
ble and conclusive proof of the divinity of the 
gospel to the few, and leave the many without 
such evidence. 

Again. Is there no necessity that the servant 
of God should possess power to heal that poor 
lunatic, whose maladies lie beyond the reach of 
medical skill or power ? Is it not greatly to be 
feared that we have sat down on the lap of 
Delilah (the god of this world, ease and wealth,) 
where our locks have been shorn off, and we 
have become weak and feeble as other men ? 
And by way of quieting our conscience, we say 
there is now no necessity for extraordinary 
faith ! 

But leaving this important, this vital princi- 
ple of faith, which cannot now be found on earth, 
let us inquire further. Can we noiv find 
another very important feature of faith, viz. an 
unwavering and consistent belief, or faith in 
the attributes of God ? say His omnipresence. 



2T0 



Where can we find that faith which uniformly 
realizes that great truth, "Thou God seest me ?" 
Who believes that God hears every word he 
speaks, and that he is constantly in his immedi- 
ate presence ? Where shall we find that indi- 
vidual, who says or does nothing which he 
would not say and do if the Lord Jesus were 
personally present? Can he be found on 
earth ? We may hope, but alas ! our fears rise 
above our hopes. 

Further, where shall we find the man who 
fully and consistently believes God's holy word? 
We must believe all that is written in God's 
book, or it will profit us nothing. Who really 
and constantly believes the following declara- 
tion ? "But the day of the Lord will come as 
a thief in the night ; in the which the heavens 
will pass away with a great noise, and the ele- 
ments shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth 
also, and the works that are therein shall be 
burned up." 2 Peter iii, 10. As that momen- 
tous day will come as a thief in the night, we 
should expect it this night— the next hour, but 
who does ? Alas ! how few there are who live 
and act as if they were even willing to see the 
Lord Jesus come. Had even a stranger have 



271 



informed us that a band of incendiaries would 
burn down our house one night during the next 
week, what a deep impression it would have 
made on our mind ; it would drive peace and 
sleep far away, unless we were well prepared to 
meet the event, but when God speaks, and 
makes a more awful declaration, we feel but 
little concerned about the event; perhaps we 
retire to our bed unprepared to meet that sol- 
emn doom which will come on us as a thief, and 
may come this night. 

The Apostle says, "For we walk by faith, 
not by sight," and "whatever is not of faith, is 
sin." 2 Cor. v, 7; Rom. xiv, 23. Thus every 
act of our life, should be an act of faith, believ- 
ing confidently that it will please God. "Wheth- 
er, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye 
do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. x, 31. 
how few there are now on earth who live by 
faith; who regard not the opinion of men; 
neither their own secular interest, but believe 
confidently that what they say and do will 
please the Lord Jesus Christ, and benefit the 
human family ! All these things, living— con- 
sistent faith fully realizes. But can we find its 
existence on earth ? 
24 



272 



Secondly. — The coming of the Son of Man. 

We may inquire into the design, the manner 
and the time of His coming. 

1st. The design. — It is presumable that the 
great object of Christ's second coming, will be 
to establish His kingdom on earth in peace, 
and truth ; when individual and universal right- 
eousness shall obtain. Then, and not until 
then, will God's will be done on earth as it is 
done in heaven. 

In that happy day, all mankind shall dwell 
together as one great family of God on earth ; 
nor will there be one discordant sound or sen- 
timent heard among men, any more than those 
sounds are heard among the multitudes in 
heaven. The Lord Jesus taught His disciples 
and followers to pray for this glorious era, by 
using that comprehensive petition, "Thy will be 
done on earth, as it is done in heaven." Our 
faith, however, has been very weak, and our 
work (in regard to doing God's will as it is done 
in heaven) has been even more defective. 
Hence, we have ceased ardently to desire the 
consummation of Christ's great work of re- 
demption, either in our own souls, unless it should 
be effected near the close of life, on the brink 



273 



of the grave. And its universal effect, we have 
placed far, far away, even at some remote period 
of the world's history, which we are quite 
willing shall not be in our day. 

The prophets have spoken in the most eleva- 
ted and glowing strains in regard to the Messi- 
ah's kingdom and reign on earth ; when nation 
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither 
shall they learn war any more, but their swords 
shall be beat into plough-shares, and their 
spears into pruning hooks. "When the lion and 
the lamb shall lie down together, and nothing 
shall hurt or destroy in all God' holy moun- 
tain. 

In the New Testament, Christ's coming and 
kingdom is spoken of in exalted terms — "For 
the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His 
Father, with His angels ; and then shall He 
reward every man according to his works." 
Matt, xvi, 27. "When Christ, who is our life, 
shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him 
in glory." Col. iii, 4. "So Christ was once offer- 
ed to bear the sins of many; and unto them 
that look for Him, shall he appear the second 
time without sin unto salvation." Heb. ix, 28. 
Texts might be multiplied in regard to this 



2T4 



subject; I will add but one more. "And the 
seventh angel sounded ; and there were great 
voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, 
and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever 
and ever." Rev. xi, 15. 

2d. — The manner of His coming. 

As He went into heaven, so will He come 
in like manner again ; so said the angels to the 
astonished disciples. "And while they looked 
steadfastly towards heaven as he went up, be- 
hold, two men stood by them, in white apparel ; 
which also said, ye men of Gallilee, why stand 
ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus 
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall 
so come in like manner, as ye have seen Him 
go into heaven." Acts i, 10, 11. All consistent 
christians, believe that Christ ascended up into 
heaven, in the same body in which he appeared 
to His disciples at different times after His re- 
surrection. Therefore, it is fairly presumable 
that He will come personally. Again. "Be- 
hold, He cometh with clouds : and every eye 
shall see him, and they also which pierced 
Him ; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail 
because of Him. Even so. Amen." Rev. i, 7. 



275 



The objector may say that Christ cannot 
come personally, as in that case He could not 
be omnipresent — that every eye could not behold 
him on earth if He were confined to a physical 
location. These difficulties exist not with an 
omnipotent God. Nor should we limit the 
Holy One of Israel in this day of wonderful — 
almost miraculous light. Fallible, ignorant 
men, can now regulate and control the magnet- 
ic fluid so perfectly and mysteriously, that dis- 
tance is almost annihilated, and those who are 
separated by hundreds and thousands of miles, 
can converse together ! 

It is not, however, important that we should 
either know, or be able to define the manner 
of Christ's coming, it is enough for us to know 
that He will come ; the manner we leave to a 
God of infinite wisdom and omnipotent power. 

3d. The time, — Man should not presume to 
be wise above that which is written. Secret 
things belong to God, and those which are re- 
vealed, to us and our children. As God 
has wisely and mercifully concealed from man 
the day of his dissolution, so has He seen good 
to conceal from us the time of His coming. 
Christ has plainly informed us that it will be as 
24* 



276 



a thief in the night — at an unexpected hour. 
Therefore, every prudent individual should look 
for, and expect that glorious event, every day, 
every hour ; nor presume or dare to live one 
day, or one hour unprepared to meet the Lord 
Jesus with joy at His coming. Who of us 
would rejoice, to see Christ make His glorious 
appearance now— this moment ? To all such I 
would say, be of good cheer, the night is far 
spent, the glorious morning is at hand, when 
the Sun of Eighteousness shall arise to set no 
more. 

The present state of the world, and of the 
church, indicate the immediate appearance of 
Christ as conclusively as the budding of the 
trees bespeak the opening spring, and the re- 
turn of summer ; those signs, and the fearful 
representations given of that day, should alarm 
us all, and cause us to live momentarily prepa- 
red for that great event. The Lord Jesus gives 
us the following salutary caution, in regard to 
that day : "And take heed to yourselves, lest 
at any time your hearts be . overcharged with 
surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of 
this life, and so that day come upon you una- 
wares. For as a snare shall it come on all 



277 



them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. " 
Luke xxi, 34, 35. 

Again. — "Likewise also as in the days of 
Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, 
they sold, they planted, they builded ; but the 
same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained 
fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed 
them all. Even thus shall it be, when the Son 
of Man is revealed." Luke xvii, 28 — 30, 

With these solemn and alarming declarations 
continually sounding in our ears, can we live 
carelessly one moment, without a pure and holy 
heart ; and perhaps contending earnestly about 
meats and drinks — about forms and ceremo- 
nies ? Nay, should we not rather fast and pray, 
day and night, until our hearts are purified by 
the precious blood of Jesus — until we can stand 
by faith, continually before God, unblamable 
and unrebukable in His sight ? Amen. Lord 
awake a guilty world ; and a slumbering church 
to a sense of our imminent danger. 



LEARNING AND LEARNED INSTI- 
TUTIONS, 



I now approach a subject of vital importance 
to the church ; and I am fully aware that in the 
expression of my sentiments in regard to it, I 
shall stand far — very far in the minority. Few, 
very few, particularly in the ministry, will con- 
sider my sentiments either orthodox or reason- 
able. If, however, I can have God's word and 
reason's voice with me, I shall have nothing to 
fear. Noah stood almost alone in his day. Lot 
found very few who-were willing to go with him 
when he fled from a devoted city. The Lord 
Jesus and his little band of followers were very 
far in the minority, but they were not cast down. 
I will, therefore, take courage — put my trust 
alone in Israel's God, and venture to show my 
opinion also, 

My remarks in this place will be confined 
to the subject of learning and learned institu- 
tions in connection with the church. I do not 
intend to undervalue knowledge or human learn- 
ing—I do not believe the unsound and enthusi- 



279 



astic doctrine that "ignorance is the mother of 
devotion." It will, however, be admitted by 
every unprejudiced mind, either in, or out of 
the church, that good things, nay, the best 
things on earth, may be abused and misplaced, 
and thus become curses rather than blessings ; 
even literary institutions, when they are found 
out of their legitimate place, may induce discord 
rather than harmony. I assume the position that 
colleges and literary institutions belong to the 
world's department, and not to the church. 
The Lord Jesus says of his followers, who con- 
stitute the church — Ye are not of the world, I 
have chosen you out of the world, marvel not, 
therefore, that the world hate you. Money has 
been called the mammon of unrighteousness — 
the god of this world ; and one reason why 
it is so called, is on account of the power it pos- 
sesses, and the homage generally paid to those 
who have it in their possession. Learning, (by 
which I mean a finished collegiate education,) 
has still greater power. The rich man may op- 
press the poor, and cause his power to be felt 
in divers ways ; yet were he an ignorant man, 
he would be looked on by men of refinement 
with pity and contempt ; but an accomplished 



280 



education will procure for its possessor an hon- 
orable reception in kings' courts, and secure to 
him (if he is an upright man) the friendship and 
admiration of the distinguished men of the world 
universally. In ordinary cases neither the rich, 
nor the learned and wise men, will willingly bow 
to the cross of Jesus Christ, or treat those who 
consistently bear it, with common respect; 
should they be members or ministers of the 
church, when they speak on the subject of the 
cross, they confine all the pain, and shame, and 
reproach connected therewith to Jesus Christ 
exclusively, nor will they touch it with one of 
their fingers. Paul gloried in the cross of 
Christ, not only in theory or imagination, but 
in reality ; by it he was crucified unto the world, 
viz. he was exposed to nakedness, and buffeting, 
and persecutions ; and was counted as the filth 
and offscouring of all things — in these he glo- 
ried ; but generally our learned and wise men 
will beg to be excused from such exultation. I 
know there are, and have been, in every age of 
the world, honorable exceptions to this general 
rule. When the circumstances of the church 
require the aid of human learning, God can call 
a Moses from the king's court, or a Saul of Tar- 



281 



sus from the feet of Gamaliel, and when they 
are powerfully convicted and converted to God, 
they will choose rather to suffer affliction with 
the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures 
of sin for a season— they will esteem the re- 
proaches of Christ greater riches than the trea- 
sures of Egypt ; their language will be, "Yea 
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the 
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my 
Lord ; for whom I have suffered the loss of all 
things, and do count them but dung, that I may 
win Christ, and be found in him not having on 
mine own righteousness which is of the law," &c. 

In modern times there have been many burn- 
ing and shining lights in the church, who were 
men of extensive learning, as they were also of 
deep piety. The Wesleys and Fletcher, and 
others connected with them, shone as flaming 
heralds of the cross, and were abundantly suc- 
cessful under the influence of divine grace, in 
reforming and purifying the church, and also a 
wicked world. It was not, however, necessary, 
nor agreeable to the order of the divine econo- 
my that all who preached the gospel should be 
learned men in that day ; the greater part of the 
labor, even of preaching, was performed by un- 



282 



learned men. Especially was the implanation, 
and the triumphant progress of Methodism, or 
pure and undefiled religion, in these United 
States effected principally by unlearned men. 
And at the commencement of the gospel of Jesus 
Christ on earth, the principal part of the labor 
and efficient work, was performed by ignorant 
and unlearned men. Now, is it reasonable to 
suppose that the Lord Jesus when he laid the 
comer stone of his church on earth, could make 
a mistake, or set an example which his follow- 
ers in all after ages could not pursue with safety 
and success ? Jesus Christ could have called in 
to his aid the learned and wise men of his day, 
but he chose in his wisdom to act otherwise, he 
called his disciples generally from the lower 
walks of life— from the fishing net, &c. If there 
ever was a time or circumstances that called for 
human learning, it was at the commencement of 
the gospel dispensation, when an error in doc- 
trine, or in experience, or in practice, would 
have been attended with the most pernicious, if 
not ruinous consequences. It may be said that 
the apostles acted under the immediate influence 
and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. True, and 
who can prove by the word of God, that the in- 



283 



fluence of the Holy Spirit has ever been (by 
diyine appointment) withdrawn from Christ's 
church and his ministering servants ? If (as it 
is believed by many) the gospel and the grace 
of God shines brighter when it emanates from 
men of learning, than when it is preached by 
unlearned men, why did not Christ select all 
his apostles from the learned circle? Surely 
wisdom and prudence would unequivocally dic- 
tate that course, as the best which could be con- 
sidered greatly preferable at a later period in 
the history of the church. 

If, therefore, the church of Christ was origi- 
nally built up principally by unlearned men ; 
and when God greatly revived the cause of pure 
religion in the earth, and visited his people in 
great power in the eighteenth century through 
the instrumentality of J. Wesley and others, the 
work was effected principally by unlearned men, 
is it reasonable to suppose that it must now be 
perpetuated, and secured from error only by 
human learning ? Learning has not a tendency 
to harmonize and unite the church of Christ, or 
to dissipate the clouds and difficulties which 
seem to rest on many parts of God's written 
word ; on the contrary, extensive and ruinous 
25 



284 



discord has been introduced into the bosom of 
the church by learned and pious men. The doc- 
trine of election and reprobation, which has 
filled the Protestant churches vrith bitterness 
and discord, and still continues to becloud the 
glory of the Sun of Righteousness in many parts 
of the Lord's vineyard — even this unreasona- 
ble theory emanated from a man of talent, and 
learning, who is also represented to have sus- 
tained a good and pious character. Although 
this extraordinary system of divinity, has been 
ably, and I think conclusively refuted by many 
learned and pious authors ; and never was it 
made to feel its own weakness and deformity as 
sensibly as it was under the ministry of the 
early, but unlearned Methodist preachers, who 
assailed it with the powerful weapons of truth 
and reason, under the omnipotent influence of 
the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; yet it 
is still believed and advocated by many learned 
and wise, and professedly pious ministers of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Many of the advocates 
of the numerous and conflicting creeds which 
abound in the present day, are learned, and 
wise, and good men ; yet they inflexibly adhere 
to the doctrine which has been installed into 



285 



their minds by the force of education; and 
their prejudices are generally, if not uniformly 
strengthened and confirmed by the power of 
their superior learning, which enables them to 
fortify and defend their errors by learned and 
specious arguments. It may, therefore, be said, 
without fear of successful contradiction, that 
learning does not particularly qualify ministers 
to enforce the plain, simple, experimental and 
practical truths of the gospel, as efficiently as 
it does to defend their own peculiar views and 
tenets, and to explore what they esteem the er- 
rors of others. Hence a perpetual war is kept 
up by learned divines, not so much in support 
of truth and righteousness, as to establish and 
confirm their own peculiar sentiments. When 
young men are educated with a view to the 
ministry, they naturally conclude that as they 
know more than others, they must be better ; 
consequently they frequently, and almost uni- 
formly assume an air of importance, altogether 
incompatible with the holy religion of their meek 
and lowly Redeemer. Xor does this unholy 
leaven exist in a latent state ; they soon begin to 
think that their talents and intellectual advanta- 
ges entitle them to a higher seat in the syna- 



286 



gogue than their unlearned but pious brother. 
Hence a train of evils are engendered in their 
own bosom, which soon diffuses its influence 
among others, and contaminates the house of 
God with pride and dissension, where nothing 
but humility, contentment and love should exist. 
Our learned young men soon become critics, 
and esteem a grammatical error made by a 
preacher, a sufficient crime to expel the ignora- 
mus from the ministry. Many old veterans of 
the cross, who have borne the burden and the 
heat of the day, and into whose labors those 
young students have entered, are afraid to speak 
in their presence, lest they should make a mis- 
take, and thereby become objects of ridicule. 
This is a grievous evil, which many worthy ser- 
vants of the Lord Jesus have been doomed to 
writhe under in silent anguish for years. 

As extensive learning is not an essential 
qualification for a gospel ministry, their divine 
Master has promised to give them a mouth and 
wisdom which all their adversaries shall not be 
able to gainsay nor resist. They speak by the 
authority of God, accompanied with the sacred 
influence of the Holy Ghost, and their word 
reaches the sinners' hearts, and becomes the 



287 



power of God unto salvation. It is not reason- 
able to suppose that God calls foolish and im- 
proper characters to the work of the ministry ; 
and though they may not have the wisdom or 
the learning of the world to lean upon, yet have 
they the more important wisdom which cometh 
from above, and fully qualifies them to preach the 
gospel in its purity with power and efficiency. 
They are taught of the Holy Spirit of God ; 
hence they do not strive about words to no 
profit, but to the subverting of the hearers ; 
they study to show themselves approved unto 
God, workmen who need not be ashamed, right- 
ly dividing the word of truth. It is worthy of 
notice, that the gospel shines brighter, and God 
is more glorified, by the ministry of unlearned 
than of learned men. When Paul (who was 
known to be a learned man) reasoned power- 
fully before Festus, he cried out, "Paul, thou 
art beside thyself, much learning doth make 
thee mad ;" thus giving the praise and glory to 
learning; but when Peter and John healed 
the lame man, and preached Christ powerfully 
to the audience, they gave the glory to God. 
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and 
John, and perceived that they were unlearned 
25* 



288 



and ignorant men, they marvelled ; and took 
knowledge of them, that they had been with 
Jesus." 

If extensive learning is an essential qualifica- 
tion for a minister of Jesus Christ, and will 
indeed (as many believe) qualify its possessor 
to enjoy a higher degree of happiness in heaven, 
than an ignorant and unlearned man, Christ 
certainly erred when he delivered the following 
benediction, accompanied with a most solemn 
malediction, "Blessed be ye poor, for yours is 
the kingdom of God. But woe unto you that 
are rich ! for ye have received your consola- 
tion." There are very few of the poor of this 
world, who are, or can ever hope to be men of 
learning, unless it is through the charity of those 
who are wealthy; while the rich men of this 
world, are almost uniformly favored with learn- 
ing ; yet hath God chosen the poor of this world, 
rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which 
he hath promised to them that love him. 

I shall now appeal to the law and to the tes- 
timony, by the authority of God's holy word, 
and that rigidly and faithfully applied, must 
we all stand or fall. There is not, I apprehend, 
one plain text in the New Testament, which 



289 



proves that earthly learning or wisdom is 
necessary to qualify a minister of Jesus Christ, 
for his holy duty. Christ says. "I thank thee, 
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because 
thou hast hid these things from the wise and 
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, 
even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy 
sight." Matt, xi, 25, 26. May it not be, that 
in accordance with this divine declaration, the 
purity, simplicity, and harmony of the gospel 
has been "hid" from our D. D's, therefore, 
division and discord has fallen on the M. E. 
Church? Yv 7 hen John sent his disciples to 
Jesus to inquire whether He was the Christ or 
not, the Lord Jesus said, in reply to those 
messengers, "Go and show John again those 
things which ye do hear and see; the blind 
receive their sight, and the lame walk, the 
lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the 
dead are raised up, and the poor have the gos- 
pel preached unto them." Matt, xi, 4, 5. The 
poor are not often found among the wise and 
learned of this world ; neither does it require 
extensive learning to qualify a man to preach 
the gospel to them. It maybe said, "If we 
are qualified to preach the gospel correctly and 



290 



learnedly to the rich, the poor may receive it 
also." Not so; the poor cannot comprehend 
or understand the import of many words and 
phrases in common use among the learned ; 
but on the contrary, if we speak the plain una- 
dorned language of propriety, simplicity and 
the holy scriptures, the rich and learned can 
fully comprehend the bearing and import of 
every word and sentiment expressed. Thus 
thfe wise and learned individual cannot but with 
the utmost difficulty obey the command of Je- 
sus Christ — go and preach the gospel to every 
creature, for they have received a language in 
the college, which renders them partially bar- 
barians to the ignorant and the unlearned. It 
will, I apprehend, be generally, if not univer- 
sally conceded, that the real design of exten- 
sive learning is not to qualify us to preach the 
gospel to the poor and the illiterate, but to the 
rich and the learned. Were the point conce- 
ded, (which is not the case,) that extensive 
learning is a necessary appendage to qualify us 
to preach the gospel to the learned and the 
rich, would it be wise or prudent to qualify 
every minister, (that too at a considerable ex- 
pense of money and of time,) to preach to a 



291 



portion of the community who are seldom call- 
ed ; and so slender is their hope of salvation, 
that our divine Master says, that it is easier 
for a camel to pass through the eye of a nee- 
dle, than for a rich man to enter into the 
kingdom of heaven — the anathema of our di- 
vine Redeemer rests on them — "woe unto you 
that are rich;" and as it regards this subject, 
Paul makes the following strong remarks : "For 
ye see your calling, brethren, how that not 
many wise men after the flesh, not many 
mighty, not many noble are called : but God 
hath chosen the foolish things of this world to 
confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the 
weak things of this world to confound the 
things which are mighty ; and the base things 
of this world, and the things which are despis- 
ed, hath God chosen, yea, and things which 
are not, to bring to nought things that are." 
1 Cor. i, 26 — 28. I cannot conceive how it is 
possible for any individual possessed of common 
understanding, to misunderstand the apostle's 
argument in the above passage, which will cer- 
tainly prove anything else, rather than that the 
learning and wisdom of this world is necessary 
to qualify a minister of Christ to preach the 



292 



gospel. The same Apostle expressly declares 
that the wisdom of this world is foolishness 
with God. Again he says, "For Christ sent 
me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel ; 
not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of 
Christ should be made of none effect." I might 
transcribe nearly every paragraph in the first, 
second, and third chapters of Paul's first letter 
to the Corinthian church, with many other 
passages interspersed throughout the New Tes- 
tament, to prove that extensive learning is not 
necessary to the success of a gospel preacher, 
but frequently a direct hindrance. I will only 
advert to the following quotation, to which I 
must beg the reader's most serious attention. 
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came 
not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, 
declaring unto you the testimony of God. For 
I determined not to know anything among you, 
save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I 
was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in 
much trembling. And my speech, and my 
preaching, was not with enticing words of 
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the 
spirit, and in power. That your faith should 
not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the 



293 



power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom 
among them that are perfect ; yet not the wis- 
dom of this world, nor of the princes of this 
world, that come to nought. But we speak the 
wisdom of God in a ministry, even the hidden 
wisdom which God ordained before the world, to 
our glory." Paul was evidently, himself, a learn- 
ed man ; but he laid even his learning down a 
willing sacrifice at the shrine of his divine Mas- 
ter's cross, together with his other numerous 
earthly distinctions, and went out, in obedience 
to the call and command of the Lord Jesus, in- 
to the streets and lanes of the city, and into 
all the world preaching the gospel to the poor 
and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind ; nor 
did he fail to warn the rich, and the wise of their 
imminent danger, while he invited them to for- 
sake those vanities, and seek mercy and eternal 
life, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was 
intimately acquainted with human nature, and 
also the power and efficacy of divine grace 
when he said — "Knowledge puffeth up, but 
charity edifieth." As God hates a proud look, 
should we not feel somewhat afraid of that 
which has a direct tendency to swell a haughty 
worm, and thereby render us offensive in the 



294 

sight of God? We should dread more than 
death, any circumstance, or creature, or thing 
which may by any means turn us from the un- 
frequented, but honorable path of deep and 
genuine humility, which always bears the im- 
press of the meek and lowly Saviour's foot- 
steps. 

The Lord J esus asks the important question, — 
"How can you believe which receive honor one 
of another, and seek not the honor that cometh 
from God only ? In open view of that danger- 
ous error, he carefully guards us against giving 
or receiving titles of distinction. He says, 
"The Scribes and Pharisees love greeting in the 
market, and to be called of men, Rabbi— Rabbi, 
but be not yet called Rabbi, for one is your 
Master even Christ, and ye are all brethren. 
But he that is greatest among you shall be your 
servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself 
shall be abased." Now, are not our colleges 
openly and palpably arrayed against the senti- 
ments and the positive commands of our Lord 
Jesus Christ? Those institutions of learning 
deal out carelessly titles of honorable distinc- 
tion, and many of our leading men in Israel re- 
ceive them without one objection. God ! the 



295 



God of our fathers, arouse the church, and may 
her strong men of Israel leave the lap of Deli- 
lah, and escape from the arms of the god of this 
world, before the Philistines put out both our 
eyes. 

From the weight of testimony found in the 
New Testament against extensive learning as a 
qualification for the ministry, and the little that 
is said in favor of it, should we not pause, and 
reflect, and fast and pray for pure light from 
heaven on this momentous subject ? Is it not 
possible that we may be found on the side of 
the world, fighting against God, and the cross 
of our Lord Jesus Christ?. As the gospel 
breathes a constant stream of mercy to the poor, 
and denounces the rich, if we must interfere in 
the subject of education, should we not rather 
recommend and encourage schools for the ben- 
efit of the poor, something similar to the district 
schools, now established in most of our states 
and counties. 

Very few except the rich are benefited by our 
colleges. A poor man cannot pay the board and 
incidental expenses connected with any of our 
colleges, were he to receive the tuition gratis. 
Nor is it reasonable or right in the sight of God, 
26 



to receive money from the poor to educate rich 
men's children. Let the wealthy part of the 
community and of the church manage their own 
concern?., while vr e turn with theblessings of 
iLie go-pei to tne poor ; and 11 their education 
devolves on the church even in part, let us re- 
commend all our members to give their children 
a good English education— nav. let us 
it is done; and then teach them Thy 
and precept) to save the money now wa 
fine clothes, and houses and furniture i 
fbod ? and live like our^ Divine Mmim,'* 
nying life in all things : and teach them 
to apply the money thus saved to the p 
of good relioioua hook, h 



at 
or 



cung anci 



modern history ; and then let 
wasted m visiting and idle con 



cupied in reading meditation and p^aver -In 
individual with agood plain English education [ 
and a mind well stored with scripture and his- 
torical knowledge, is better prepared to make a 
good and a useful citizen, than that man who has 
been ponshed for years wirhin the walls of a 
cohege. and far better prepared to make a good 
and successful minister of Jesus Christ, when 
God converts his soul, and fills it with holy zeal 
and burning love for God and all mankind. 



297 



Can our wise and learned men account for 
the simple, but astounding fact, that in the early 
days of Methodism, though she was frowned on 
and despised by the wise and great men of this 
world, and her preachers were generally un- 
learned men, yet she fought her way trium- 
phantly through every opposing difficulty to a 
high and holy eminence in piety, in numbers, 
and in influence ; and now in these last days, 
we have raised up colleges and seminaries of 
learning in abundance, and our learned men, 
our D. D's abound everywhere, while our beau- 
tiful fabric, raised up by the zeal and purity and 
faith of our unlearned fathers, totters, and God's 
house is divided in twain, which portends, by 
divine authority, speedy ruin ; even now dis- 
cord abounds through our ranks generally north 
and south ; confidence is fearfully shaken, and 
the prospect before us, to every pious, rational 
mind, is anything but prosperous ? May we 
not lean on the world for support, either its 
money, its popularity, or its polished learning, 
but return to the feet of Jesus, and there learn 
to do our first works over again, that we may 
live and not die ? 



29 82 Nl 




4° * 
Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. , 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: July 2005 



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